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LESOTHO
Lesotho is a country in southern Africa. Being
an enclave it is entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa.
History
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the
United Kingdom on October 4, 1966. Constitutional government was restored in
1993 after 23 years of authoritarianism, which included seven years of
military rule.
Language
The people from Lesotho speak the Sesotho language, in their Bantu derived,
prefix-oriented language.
Districts
Lesotho is divided into 10 districts:-
1 Berea
2 Butha-Buthe
3 Leribe
4 Mafeteng
5 Maseru
6 Mohale's Hoek
7 Mokhotlong
8 Qacha's Nek
9 Quthing
10 Thaba-Tseka
Economy
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's only important natural
resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture,
livestock, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number
of such mine workers has declined steadily over the past several years. In
1996 their remittances added about 33% to GDP compared with the addition of
roughly 67% in 1990. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm
products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries.
Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from
membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of
government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity
over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in
January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating
royalties that will be an important source of income for Lesotho. The pace
of parastatal privatization has increased in recent years. Civil disorder in
September 1998 destroyed 80% of the commercial infrastructure in Maseru and
two other major towns. Most firms were not covered by insurance, and the
rebuilding of small and medium business has been a significant challenge in
terms of both economic growth and employment levels. Output dropped 10% in
1998 and recovered slowly in 1999. Lesotho has had an uneasy relationship
with its expatriate population, particularly the Asian business community.
There is a strong sense of xenophobia which has sometimes led to riots
against foreigners. However, the vast majority of Lesotho's resources and
jobs are directly or indirectly due to foreign investment and ownership in
the country. The problem is exacerbated by political figures who encourage
the uneducated populace to blame the outsiders for the nation's problems.
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