View source for Lesotho

{{Infobox country
|native_name = ''Muso oa Lesotho''
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Lesotho
|common_name = Lesotho
|image_flag = Flag of Lesotho.svg
|image_coat =Coat of arms of Lesotho.svg
|image_map = Location Lesotho AU Africa.svg
|map_caption = {{map caption|countryprefix=|location_color=dark blue|region=[[Africa]]|region_color=dark grey|subregion=the [[African Union]]|subregion_color=light blue}}
|national_motto = "Khotso, Pula, Nala"{{spaces|2}}<small>([[Sesotho language|Sesotho]])<br/>"Peace, Rain, Prosperity"</small>
|national_anthem = ''[[Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona]]''<br/>''Lesotho, land of our Fathers''
|official_languages = [[English language|English]]<br>[[Sesotho language|Sesotho]]
|demonym = Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
|capital = [[Maseru]]
|latd =29 |latm=28 |latNS=S |longd=27 |longm=56 |longEW=E
|largest_city = Maseru
|government_type = [[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary democracy]] and [[Constitutional monarchy]]
|leader_title1 = [[List of Kings of Lesotho|King]]
|leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Lesotho|Prime Minister]]
|leader_name1 = [[Letsie III of Lesotho|Letsie III]]
|leader_name2 = [[Sam Matekane]] 
|area_rank = 140th
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
|area_km2 = 30,355
|area_sq_mi = 12,727 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|percent_water = negligible
|population_estimate = 2,067,000
|population_estimate_rank = 144th
|population_estimate_year = 2009
|population_census = 2,031,348
|population_census_year = 2004
|population_density_km2 = 68.1
|population_density_sq_mi = 162.4 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|population_density_rank = 138th
|GDP_PPP = $3.444 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2008&ey=2011&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=666&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=40&pr.y=12 |title=Lesotho|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2011-04-21}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_year = 2011
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,666<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal = $2.127 billion<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_year = 2010
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $1,029<ref name=imf2/>
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|established_event1 = from the [[United Kingdom]]
|established_date1 = October 4, 1966
|HDI = 0.427
|HDI_change = increase 
|HDI_ref = <ref>[http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf Human Development Report 2009]. The United Nations. Retrieved 15 October 2009.</ref>
|HDI_rank = 141st
|HDI_year = 2010
|HDI_category = <span style="color:red">low</span>
|Gini = 63.2
|Gini_ref                   = 
|Gini_year = 1995
|Gini_category = <span style="color:red;">very high</span>
|currency = [[Lesotho loti]]
|currency_code = LSL
|country_code =
|time_zone = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|drives_on = left
|cctld = [[.ls]]
|calling_code = [[+266]]
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.}}

'''Lesotho''' is a small country in southern [[Africa]], it is an [[enclave]] of [[South Africa]]. Its [[population]] is about 1,800,000.
The capital of Lesotho is called [[Maseru]].

== Geography ==
Lesotho has no [[coast]] on the [[sea]] nor on a lake. This type of country is called ''landlocked'', meaning it is surrounded by land. All of Lesotho's [[trade]] must either be flown in by [[aeroplane]], or brought in by land. Lesotho's position is unusual: it is completely surrounded by [[South Africa]] and has no borders with any other country. This type of country is called an ''[[enclave]]''. Lesotho is one of the only three enclaved countries in the world (the other two are [[San Marino]] and the [[Vatican City]]). This makes Lesotho's relationship with South Africa very important to them both.

Lesotho has many [[mountain]]s and is one of the most mountainous countries in the world. All of Lesotho is at least 1,400 m above [[sea level]]. People sometimes travel there to [[ski]] in [[winter]]. The many mountains in Lesotho mean that it rains there a lot. Lesotho uses some of its water to generate [[electricity]] and sells some of the water to South Africa.

[[File:LocationLesotho.png|right|250px|thumb|Location of Lesotho]]

== History ==
Lesotho became a country in [[1818]], but it was then called '''Basutoland'''. A man called Moshoeshoe brought several of the groups of people in the area together and formed a new country with him as its [[king]]. This new country came under attack from its enemies and in [[1868]] Moshoeshoe asked [[Queen Victoria]] of [[Great Britain]] for help. Great Britain said it would help if Lesotho became part of the British Empire.

Lesotho eventually gained its [[independence]] on [[4 October]] [[1966]]. Now it is a member of the British Commonwealth. King Letsie III is the ruler of Lesotho.

==Cities==
{| class="wikitable"   
|-----
! colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFA500" | Cities in Lesotho
|-----
! rowspan="2" bgcolor="#98FB98" | Rang || rowspan="2" bgcolor="#98FB98" | City || colspan="3" bgcolor="#98FB98" | Population ||  rowspan="2" bgcolor="#98FB98" | District
|-----
! bgcolor="#98FB98" | Census 1986 || bgcolor="#98FB98" | Census 1996 || bgcolor="#98FB98" | Estimate 2005
|-----
|align=right | 1. || [[Maseru]] || align=right | 98,017 || align=right | 137,837 || align=right | 218,355 || [[Maseru District|Maseru]]
|-----
|align=right | 2. || [[Teyateyaneng]] || align=right | 24,336 || align=right | 48,869 || align=right | 75,115 || [[Berea District|Berea]]
|-----
|align=right | 3. || [[Mafeteng]] || align=right | 12,598 || align=right | 20,804 || align=right | 57,059 || [[Mafeteng District|Mafeteng]]
|-----
|align=right | 4. || [[Hlotse]] || align=right | 8,021 || align=right | 23,122 || align=right | 47,675 || [[Leribe]]
|-----
|align=right | 5. || [[Mohale's Hoek]] || align=right | 7,899 || align=right | 17,871 || align=right | 40,514 || [[Mohale's Hoek District|Mohale's Hoek]]
|-----
|align=right | 6. || [[Maputsoe]] || align=right | 8,267 || align=right | 27,951 || align=right | 32,117 || [[Leribe]]
|-----
|align=right | 7. || [[Qacha's Nek]] || align=right | 4,589 || align=right | 4,797 || align=right | 25,573 || [[Qacha's Nek District|Qacha's Nek]]
|-----
|align=right | 8. || [[Quthing]] || align=right | 4,471 || align=right | 9,858 || align=right | 24,130 || [[Quthing District|Quthing]]
|-----
|align=right | 9. || [[Peka (Lesotho)|Peka]] || align=right | N.A. || align=right | N.A. || align=right | 17,161 || [[Leribe]]
|-----
|align=right | 10. || [[Butha-Buthe]] || align=right | 7,509 || align=right | 12,611 || align=right | 16,330 || [[Butha-Buthe District|Butha-Buthe]]
|-----
|align=right | 11. || [[Roma, Lesotho|Roma]] || align=right | 5,817 || align=right | N.A. || align=right | 11,612 || [[Maseru District|Maseru]]
|-----
|align=right | 12. || [[Mokhotlong]] || align=right | 2,257 || align=right | 4,275 || align=right | 8,809 || [[Mokhotlong District|Mokhotlong]]
|-----
|align=right | 13. || [[Thaba-Tseka]] || align=right | 2,127 || align=right | 4,449 || align=right | 5,423 || [[Thaba-Tseka District|Thaba-Tseka]]
|}

==Related pages==
*[[Lesotho at the Olympics]]
*[[Lesotho national football team]]
*[[List of rivers of Lesotho]]

==References==
{{commonscat}}
{{Reflist}}

{{africa}}
{{Commonwealth nations}}

[[Category:Lesotho| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 1960s]]
[[Category:1966 establishments]]
[[Category:Current monarchies]]
[[Category:Least developed countries]]
[[Category:1960s establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:Commonwealth member states]]