Lesotho – Basic Facts
Size : 30 355 km2
Altitude : lowest 1 388m; highest 3 482m
Capital City : Maseru
Population : 2.2 million; Maseru 385 000
Languages : Sesotho & English
Monetary Unit : Loti (plural “Maloti”)

International Telephone Code: +266
From within Lesotho dial: 00(country code)
Standard Power: 220/240 volts AC 50Hz

Lesotho does not change its standard time with the change of season. Standard time is +2 the year round, two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the USA (New York, Washington, Miami)

1.1. Geography

Lesotho covers 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi). The most notable geographic fact about Lesotho, apart from its status as an enclave, is that it is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) in elevation. Its lowest point is 1,400 metres (4,593 ft), and over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres (5,900 ft)

1.2. People

Lesotho has a population of approximately 2.2 million people, 99% of which are ethnically Basotho; other ethnic groups include Europeans and Asians. The country's population is 80% Christian, the majority of which are Roman Catholics followed by Anglicans and Protestants. Other religions are Islam, Hindu, and indigenous beliefs. Sesotho and English are official languages, another language spoken is Xhosa.

1.3. Government

Type: Constitutional monarchy.
Constitution: April 2, 1993.
Independence: October 4, 1966.
Branches: Executive--monarch is head of state;

Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister is head of government and has executive authority. The King serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives.
The constitution provides for an independent judicial system. The judiciary is made up of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominately in rural areas. All but one of the Judges on the Court of Appeal are South African jurists . There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers. The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, association, and the press; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of religion.
For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into 10 districts, each headed by a District administrator.
Lesotho held its first post-independence local government elections on April 30, 2005 using a quota system that reserved one-third of electoral divisions for women candidates. In these elections, 53% of the victorious candidates were women. Locally elected officials are presently in post-election training while regulations for local governance are drawn up by the National Assembly and infrastructure is created.

The Prime Minister is Head of Government and Cabinet. Legislative--Bicameral parliament consists of elected Assembly and non-elected Senate. Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeals, Magistrate's Court, traditional and customary courts.