Home

Geography of Lesotho

Location:Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Land use:arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

Lesotho Quickstats

  • Population: 2,125,262
  • Area: 30,355 sq km
  • Density: 59 /km² (138th)
  • GDP (total): $4.996 billion (150th)
  • GDP (per capita): $2,113 (139th)
  • Literacy: 84.8%

Languages of Lesotho

Useful to know

  • Currency: Loti (LSL)
  • Dial code: +266

International Trade

External sites

More Resources

Lesotho Internet

  • Usage: 43,000
  • Penetration: 1.7 %
  • Top Domain: .lt

WT eBusiness info:

  • Success Ranking: 100
  • Market testing: Untested
  • Overall risk: High
  • Overall reward: Low

e-maturity:

  • Tourism: 10%
  • eCommerce: 10%
  • Gaming: 10%
  • eLearning: 10%

Recent blog posts