Lesotho,
[a] formally the
Kingdom of Lesotho, formerly known as
Basutoland, is a
landlocked country in
Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by
South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign
enclaves in the world, the others being
San Marino and
Vatican City, which are surrounded by
Italy. Lesotho is situated in the
Maloti Mountains and contains the
highest peak in Southern Africa.
[8] It has an area of over 30,000 km2 (11,600 sq mi) and has a population of about two million. Its
capital and largest city is
Maseru. The country is also known by the nickname
The Mountain Kingdom/The Kingdom in the Sky.
[9]
Lesotho was formed in 1824 by
King Moshoeshoe I. Continuous encroachments by Dutch settlers made the King enter into an agreement with the
United Kingdom to become a
protectorate in 1868 and, in 1884, a
crown colony.
It achieved independence in 1966, and was subsequently ruled by the
Basotho National Party (BNP) for two decades. Its constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule.
King Moshoeshoe II was exiled in 1990 but returned in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. One year later, Moshoeshoe II died and his son
Letsie III took the throne, which he still holds.
[10]
The
Sotho ethnic group (also known as Basotho), from which the country derives its name, composes 99.7% of the country's current population, making it one of the most
ethnically homogeneous in the world. Their native language,
Sesotho, is the official language along with
English. The name
Lesotho translates to "land of the Sesotho speakers".
[11][12]
Lesotho is considered a
lower middle income country with significant socioeconomic challenges. Almost half of its population is below the poverty line, and the country's
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the second-highest in the world. However, it also targets a high rate of universal primary education and has
one of the highest rates of literacy in Africa (81% as of 2021). Lesotho is a member of the
United Nations, the
Non-Aligned Movement, the
Commonwealth of Nations, the
African Union, and the
Southern African Development Community.
