Lesotho

　 　

WordNet

1. a landlocked constitutional monarchy in southern Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 (同)Kingdom of Lesotho, Basutoland
2. monetary unit in Lesotho

PrepTutorEJDIC

1. レソト(アフリカ南部の王国;もと英国領)

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出典(authority):フリー百科事典『ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』「2016/09/28 18:35:46」(JST)

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レソト王国

Mmuso wa Lesotho
Kingdom of Lesotho

（国旗）	（国章）

国の標語：Khotso, Pula, Nala（平和、雨、繁栄）

国歌：レソト、父なる地

公用語	ソト語、英語
首都	マセル
最大の都市	マセル
政府 国王 レツィエ3世 首相 パカリタ・モシシリ 面積 総計 30,355km2（137位） 水面積率 極僅か 人口 総計（2011年） 2,190,000人（???位） 人口密度 61人/km2 GDP（自国通貨表示） 合計（2005年） 133億ロチ GDP (MER) 合計（2005年） 16億ドル（149位） GDP (PPP) 合計（2003年） 31億ドル（146位） 1人あたり 1,302ドル
独立  - 日付	イギリスから 1966年10月4日
通貨	ロチ (LSL)
時間帯	UTC +2（DST：なし）
ISO 3166-1	LS / LSO
ccTLD	.ls
国際電話番号	266

レソト王国（レソトおうこく、ソト語: Mmuso wa Lesotho、英語: Kingdom of Lesotho）、通称レソトは、アフリカ南部に位置する立憲君主制をとる国家。イギリス連邦加盟国のひとつで、周囲を南アフリカ共和国に囲まれた世界最南の内陸国でもある。首都はマセルで、1966年にイギリスから独立した。非同盟中立を宣言している。

国名

「レソト」とは「ソト語を話す人々」という意味である。

歴史

「レソトの国王一覧」も参照

• ボツワナから南アフリカ共和国北部にかけては、サン族（ブッシュマン）の居住地だった。
• 16世紀 - サン族と競合が始まった。（バントゥー系ソト族が北方より移動してきてサン族を駆逐した。）
• 1818年 - 初代国王モショエショエ1世がサン族を排除し、ソト族の長となった。
• 1840年代 - 南アフリカのオレンジ自由国からボーア人の進入に対抗するため、イギリスの保護を受けた。
• 1868年 - イギリスの保護領となった。イギリス領バストランドと呼ばれた。
• 1871年 - イギリスの植民地にされた。
• 1884年 - イギリスの保護領に戻った。
• 1902年 - 地方政治に限り、自治が認められた。
• 1959年 - 自治が認められた。
• 1966年
  • 10月4日 - イギリスから独立し、モショエショエ2世を国王とするレソト王国を建国。イギリス連邦に加盟した。
• 1970年 - 総選挙で敗北した与党バストランド国民党とレアブア・ジョナサンが、下野を拒み野党指導者らを投獄。一党独裁体制へと権威主義化した。
• 1970年代 - 周囲の南アフリカ共和国との関係が悪化し、経済制裁を受けた。
• 1986年
  • 1月 - クーデターが発生し、バストランド国民党のジョナサン政権が倒された。王政を残したまま、ジャスティン・レハンヤ軍司令官が軍事評議会議長に就任。政党の活動が禁止された。
• 1990年
  • 3月 - レハンヤ議長が国王モショエショエ2世を追放した。
  • 11月 - モショエショエ2世の皇太子であるレツィエ3世が即位した。
• 1991年
  • 4月 - 無血クーデターが発生、評議会議長レハンヤが追放された。これに伴い政党が復活した。
• 1994年
  • 8月 - レツィエ3世が全閣僚と議会を解散、憲法を停止した。
  • 9月 - ゼネストや抗議デモによりレツィエ3世が退位した。
• 1995年
  • 1月 - モショエショエ2世が復位した。
• 1996年
  • 1月 - モショエショエ2世が交通事故により死去。レツィエ3世が復位した。
• 1997年
  • 首相のヌツ・モヘレが与党・バストランド会議党（BCP）を離党、新党・レソト民主会議を結成し全閣僚が参加した。
• 1998年
  • 5月 - 下院総選挙が実施され、与党LCDが79議席（定数80）を獲得し圧勝した。
  • 5月 - ヌツ・モヘレが引退し、副首相のパカリタ・モシシリが首相に就任した。
  • 8月 - 選挙結果に不満を持つ群集が暴徒化し、王宮が占拠された。
  • 9月 - クーデター未遂事件発生。
  • 9月22日 - 南部アフリカ開発共同体（SADC）に要請し、南アフリカ軍とボツワナ軍が国内で治安維持活動を行った。
• 1999年
  • 5月 - 治安回復を受け、南アフリカ軍とボツワナ軍が撤退した。
• 2001年 - 定数120、小選挙区比例代表並立制を柱とする下院関連法が改正された。
• 2002年
  • 5月25日 - 下院再選挙が実施され、与党LCDが勝利する。第2次モシシリ内閣が発足した。
• 2007年
  • 2月17日 - 下院総選挙が実施され、与党LCDが勝利する。第3次モシシリ内閣が発足した。
• 2012年5月 -　下院総選挙で全バソト会議、バソト国民党などによる連立政権が成立。トーマス・タバネが首相に就任した。
• 2014年8月　-　軍部によるクーデターが発生。トーマス・タバネ首相が南アフリカへ出国。

地理

レソトの地図。

レソトの風景。

レソトは、周囲を南アフリカ共和国に囲まれた内陸国である。いったん周囲の南アフリカ共和国を経由しないと行き来できない地域すらあるため、「アフリカのスイス」「南部アフリカの屋根」とも言われている。

全土がドラケンスバーグ山脈の山中に位置するため、平地が一切なく、全土の標高が1400mを超える。最高峰は、タバナントレニャナ山であり、標高3482mはアフリカ大陸南部の最高峰でもある。主要河川は、南アフリカ共和国との国境付近に源流があり、国土を縦断した後、南アフリカ共和国とナミビアを経由して大西洋に注ぐオレンジ川。レソトの最低地点はオレンジ川が南アフリカ共和国に流れ出す南西部にある。

地形とは異なり、気候には恵まれている。全土がケッペンの気候区分による温暖湿潤気候 (Cfa) と西岸海洋性気候 (Cfb) であり、イタリア北部に似ている。雨季は存在しないものの、10月から4月にかけての夏季に降雨が多く、冬季は乾燥している。年間降水量は700mm程度である。

地方区分

レソトの県。

「レソトの地方行政区画」も参照

レソトの最上級の地方行政単位は、10ある県である。

1. ベレア県 (Berea)
2. ブータ・ブーテ県 (Butha-Buthe)
3. レリベ県 (Leribe)
4. マフェテング県 (Mafeteng)
5. マセル県 (Maseru) - 南アフリカ共和国との国境に近い西端に首都マセルが位置する。
6. モハレス・フーク県 (Mohales Hoek)
7. モコトロング県 (Mokhotlong)
8. クァクハスネック県 (Qacha's Nek)
9. クティング県 (Quthing)
10. ターバ・ツェーカ県 (Thaba-Tseka)

主要都市

詳細は「レソトの都市の一覧」を参照

主要な都市はマセル（首都）がある。

政治

国家元首は、国王のレツィエ3世（本名：デーヴィッド・モハト・レツィエ・ベレン・セーイソ）で、立憲君主制をとる。国民統合の象徴的地位で、政治的権力を有さない。国王の位はセーイソ家による世襲制である。

行政執行権は、首相を長とする内閣が行使する。議院内閣制。

レソト王国議会は二院制である。上院は、全33議席。22人の主要部族長と下院の支配政党が指名する11人が上院議員となる。下院の議席数は、2001年の法改正により80議席から120議席に増やされた。そのうち80を小選挙選挙で、40を比例代表制選挙で選出する。任期5年。

• レソト民主会議 (LCD) - 1998年5月と2002年5月の選挙で大勝し、政府与党となる。
• バソト国民党 (BNP) - 独立後20年間与党の地位を占める。初代首相レアブア・ジョナサンの政党。
• レソト人民会議 (LPC)
• バソト会議党 (BCP) - 独立後の野党第一党。
• 統一民主党 (UDP)
• マレマトロウ自由党 (MFP) およびセトゥラモ連合
• 進歩国民党 (PNP)
• セファテ民主党 (SDP)

軍事

詳細は「レソトの軍事」を参照

経済

首都マセルの中心街。

レソトの経済は、農業と南アフリカ共和国向けの繊維製品を中心とした輸出、南アフリカ共和国への出稼ぎで支えられている。放牧は盛んで1994年時点には国土の65.9%が放牧に振り向けられていた。家畜の頭数は人口よりも多い。気候には恵まれているものの、地形の制約のため、耕地面積は国土の10.5%にとどまる。そのため、農業従事者人口は国民の18%と少ない。これは南アフリカ共和国への出稼ぎ人口の2倍弱に過ぎない。

政府は、慢性的な貿易赤字を解決し、発展が望めない農業以外に産業を振興するため、繊維加工業に着目した。貿易優遇措置を講じた結果、アメリカ市場向けの繊維産業誘致に成功し、2000年以降、年率3%を超える国内総生産の成長を果たした。

近年は、観光業にも力を入れており、主に欧州からの保養客を受け入れている。アフリスキーではスキーも楽しめる。

主な輸出品は、全体の53%を占める衣類、ついで履物、飲料水。主な輸出先は南アフリカ共和国 (53.0%)、アメリカ合衆国 (33.4%)、ベルギー、カナダである。水は豊富。20世紀末には大規模な水力発電所も完成している。

主な輸入品は、穀物、自動車、木製品、肉類。主な輸入先は96.5%を占める南アフリカ共和国、ついで中華人民共和国、アメリカ合衆国である。

日本との貿易関係は、衣類のみを輸出し、工業用ミシンと乗用車、繊維加工機械を輸入するというものである。

失業率は40%以上である。

国民

ソト族の騎手。

民族

国民の99.7%が、バントゥー系のソト族である。レソトの国民は、単数形では、モソト (Mosotho)、複数形では、バソト (Basotho) と呼ばれる。

言語

ソト語（セソト、南部ソト語）と英語が公用語とされている。

宗教

国民の約8割はキリスト教徒である。この他に伝統宗教も存在する。

教育

保健

HIV（俗に言うエイズウイルス）感染者が1990年代以降激増、国民の約1/4がHIV感染者である。そのため、1990年には220万人あった人口が、2006年には180万人と激減。平均寿命は60歳から35歳と、成人死亡率が世界でもっとも高い国となっており（ WHO2013年統計）、農業生産も減り続けている。

交通

• 鉄道 - マセル - ブルームフォンテーン 間。ただし、路線のレソト国内に占める距離は1kmほど。
• 空港 - モショエショエ1世国際空港、マテカネ空港。

文化

1966年の独立直後から教育、特に初等教育に力を入れている。男女格差が最も少ない国家の一つであり、女性の識字率は2001年時点で90.3%に達する。しかし、男性の識字率は71.3%にとどまっている。これは男子児童が放牧の労働力として組み込まれていることによる。

祝祭日

日付	日本語表記	現地語表記	備考
10月4日	独立記念日

標準時

この地域では南アフリカ標準時を採用しており、協定世界時より2時間進んだ時間を採用している。

脚注

関連項目

• セクホンヤナ・ネヘミア・マセリバネ
• レソトにおける死刑
• サンタバリー

外部リンク

レソト政府

• レソト王国政府 （英語）
• レソト王国議会 （英語）

日本政府

• 日本外務省 - レソト （日本語）
• 在南アフリカ共和国日本国大使館 - 在レソト大使館を兼轄 （日本語）

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[Wiki en表示]

Kingdom of Lesotho 'Muso oa Lesotho
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Khotso, Pula, Nala" (Sotho) "Peace, Rain, Prosperity"
Anthem: Lesotho Fatše La Bontata Rona Lesotho, land of our Fathers
Location of  Lesotho  (dark blue) – in Africa  (light blue & dark grey) – in the African Union  (light blue)
Capital and largest city		Maseru 29°28′S 27°56′E
Official languages		Sesotho English
Ethnic groups		99.7% Basotho 0.3% other Africans
Demonym		Mosotho (singular) Basotho (plural)
Government		Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
•	King	Letsie III
•	Prime Minister	Pakalitha Mosisili
Legislature		Parliament
•	Upper house	Senate
•	Lower house	National Assembly
Independence
•	from the United Kingdom	4 October 1966
Area
•	Total	30,355 km2 (140th) 11,720 sq mi
•	Water (%)	0.0032%
Population
•	2009 estimate	2,067,000 (144th)
•	2004 census	2,031,348
•	Density	68.1/km2 (138th) 162.4/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2016 estimate
•	Total	$6.017 billion
•	Per capita	$3,133
GDP (nominal)		2016 estimate
•	Total	$2.096 billion
•	Per capita	$1,091
Gini (2015)		54.2 high
HDI (2013)		0.486 low · 162nd
Currency		Lesotho loti (LSL)
Time zone		SAST (UTC+2)
Drives on the		left
Calling code		+266
ISO 3166 code		LS
Internet TLD		.ls
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 (ⁱ/lᵻˈsuːtuː/; li-SOO-too), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho), is an enclaved, landlocked country in southern Africa completely surrounded by South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population slightly over two million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The name Lesotho translates roughly into the land of the people who speak Sesotho. About 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line of US $1.25 a day.

History

Main article: History of Lesotho

King Moshoeshoe I with his Ministers.

The original inhabitants of the area now known as Lesotho were the San people. Examples of their rock art can be found in the mountains throughout the area.

The present Lesotho, then called Basutoland, emerged as a single polity under King Moshoeshoe I in 1822. Moshoeshoe, a son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bakoteli lineage, formed his own clan and became a chief around 1804. Between 1821 and 1823, he and his followers settled at the Butha-Buthe Mountain, joining with former adversaries in resistance against the Lifaqane associated with the reign of Shaka Zulu from 1818 to 1828.

Subsequent evolution of the state hinged on conflicts between British and Dutch colonists leaving the Cape Colony following its seizure from the French-allied Dutch by the British in 1795, and subsequently associated with the Orange River Sovereignty and subsequent Orange Free State. Missionaries invited by Moshoeshoe I, Thomas Arbousset, Eugène Casalis and Constant Gosselin from the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society, placed at Morija, developed orthography and printed works in the Sesotho language between 1837 and 1855. Casalis, acting as translator and providing advice on foreign affairs, helped to set up diplomatic channels and acquire guns for use against the encroaching Europeans and the Griqua people.

Trekboers from the Cape Colony showed up on the western borders of Basutoland and claimed land rights, beginning with Jan de Winnaar, who settled in the Matlakeng area in May–June 1838. As more Boers were moving into the area they tried to colonise the land between the two rivers, even north of the Caledon, claiming that it had been abandoned by the Sotho people. Moshoeshoe subsequently signed a treaty with the British Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir George Thomas Napier, that annexed the Orange River Sovereignty that many Boers had settled. These outraged Boers were suppressed in a brief skirmish in 1848. In 1851 a British force was defeated by the Basotho army at Kolonyama, touching off an embarrassing war for the British. After repelling another British attack in 1852, Moshoeshoe sent an appeal to the British commander that settled the dispute diplomatically, then defeated the Batlokoa in 1853.

In 1854 the British pulled out of the region, and in 1858 Moshoeshoe fought a series of wars with the Boers in the Free State–Basotho War, losing a great portion of the western lowlands. The last war in 1867 ended when Moshoeshoe appealed to Queen Victoria, who agreed to make Basutoland a British protectorate in 1868. In 1869, the British signed a treaty at Aliwal North with the Boers that defined the boundaries of Basutoland, and later Lesotho, which by ceding the western territories effectively reduced Moshoeshoe's Kingdom to half its previous size.

Following the cession in 1869, the British initially transferred functions from Moshoeshoe's capital in Thaba Bosiu to a police camp on the northwest border, Maseru, until administration of Basutoland was transferred to the Cape Colony in 1871. Moshoeshoe died on 11 March 1870, marking the end of the traditional era and the beginning of the colonial era. He was buried at Thaba Bosiu. In the early years of British rule between 1871 and 1884, Basutoland was treated similarly to other territories that had been forcefully annexed, much to the chagrin of the Basotho. This led to the Gun War in 1881. In 1884, Basutoland was restored its status as a protectorate, with Maseru again its capital, but remained under direct rule by a governor, though effective internal power was wielded by traditional chiefs.

1959 stamps for the Basutoland National Council.

Basutoland gained its independence from Britain and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966.

In January 1970, the ruling Basotho National Party (BNP) lost the first post-independence general elections, with 23 seats to the Basutoland Congress Party's 36. Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan refused to cede power to the Basotho Congress Party (BCP), declared himself Tona Kholo (Sesotho translation of prime minister), and imprisoned the BCP leadership.

BCP began a rebellion and then received training in Libya for its Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA) under the pretense of being Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) soldiers of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Deprived of arms and supplies by the Sibeko faction of the PAC in 1978, the 178-strong LLA was rescued from their Tanzanian base by the financial assistance of a Maoist PAC officer, but they launched the guerrilla war with only a handful of old weapons. The main force was defeated in northern Lesotho, and later guerrillas launched sporadic but usually ineffectual attacks. The campaign was severely compromised when BCP's leader, Ntsu Mokhehle, went to Pretoria. In the early 1980s, several Basotho who sympathised with the exiled BCP were threatened with death and attacked by the government of Leabua Jonathan. In September 1981, the family of Benjamin Masilo was attacked. A few days later, Edgar Mahlomola Motuba was taken from his home and murdered.

The BNP ruled from 1966 till January 1970. What later ensued was a de facto government led by Dr Leabua Jonathan until 1986 when a military coup forced it out of office. The Transitional Military Council that came to power granted executive powers to King Moshoeshoe II, who was until then a ceremonial monarch. But in 1987 the King was forced into exile after coming up with a six-page memorandum on how he wanted the Lesotho's constitution to be, which would have given him more executive powers had the military government agreed. His son was installed as King Letsie III.

Lesotho mountain village

The chairman of the military junta, Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya, was ousted in 1991 and replaced by Major General Elias Phisoana Ramaema, who handed over power to a democratically elected government of the BCP in 1993. Moshoeshoe II returned from exile in 1992 as an ordinary citizen. After the return to democratic government, King Letsie III tried unsuccessfully to persuade the BCP government to reinstate his father (Moshoeshoe II) as head of state.

In August 1994, Letsie III staged a military-backed coup that deposed the BCP government, after the BCP government refused to reinstate his father, Moshoeshoe II, according to Lesotho's constitution. The new government did not receive full international recognition. Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) engaged in negotiations to reinstate the BCP government. One of the conditions Letsie III put forward for this was that his father should be re-installed as head of state. After protracted negotiations, the BCP government was reinstated and Letsie III abdicated in favour of his father in 1995, but he ascended the throne again when Moshoeshoe II died at the age of fifty-seven in a supposed road accident, when his car plunged off a mountain road during the early hours of 15 January 1996. According to a government statement, Moshoeshoe had set out at 1 am to visit his cattle at Matsieng and was returning to Maseru through the Maluti Mountains when his car left the road.

In 1997, the ruling BCP split over leadership disputes. Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle formed a new party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), and was followed by a majority of members of parliament, which enabled him to form a new government. Pakalitha Mosisili succeeded Mokhehle as party leader and the LCD won the general elections in 1998. Although the elections were pronounced free and fair by local and international observers and a subsequent special commission appointed by SADC, the opposition political parties rejected the results.

Opposition protests in the country intensified, culminating in a peaceful demonstration outside the royal palace in August 1998. Exact details of what followed are greatly disputed, both in Lesotho and South Africa. While the Botswana Defence Force troops were welcomed, tensions with South African National Defence Force troops were high, resulting in fighting. Incidences of sporadic rioting intensified when South African troops hoisted a South African flag over the Royal Palace. By the time the SADC forces withdrew in May 1999, much of the capital of Maseru lay in ruins, and the southern provincial capital towns of Mafeteng and Mohale's Hoek had seen the loss of over a third of their commercial real estate. A number of South Africans and Basotho also died in the fighting.

An Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998. The IPA devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that the opposition would be represented in the National Assembly. The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis. Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again, gaining 54% of the vote. But for the first time, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, and despite some irregularities and threats of violence from Major General Lekhanya, Lesotho experienced its first peaceful election. Nine opposition parties now hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the BNP having the largest share (21). The LCD has 79 of the 80 constituency-based seats. Although its elected members participate in the National Assembly, the BNP has launched several legal challenges to the elections, including a recount; none has been successful.

On 30 August 2014, an abortive military coup took place forcing the current Prime Minister to briefly flee to South Africa.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Lesotho

King Letsie III

PM Mosisili

The Lesotho Government is a parliamentary or constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. The King of Lesotho, Letsie III, serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is prohibited from actively participating in political initiatives.

The Democratic Congress leads a coalition government in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of twenty-two principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and eleven appointees of the king, acting on the advice of the prime minister.

The constitution provides for an independent judicial system, made up of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominantly in rural areas. All but one of the Justices 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, freedom of association, freedom of the press, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of religion. Lesotho was ranked 12th out of 48 sub-Saharan African countries in the 2008 Ibrahim Index of African Governance.

As of 2010 the People's Charter Movement called for the practical annexation of the country by South Africa due to the AIDS epidemic. Nearly a quarter of the population is infected with HIV. The country faced high unemployment, economic collapse, a weak currency and poor travel documents restricting movement. An African Union report called for economic integration of Lesotho with South Africa but stopped short of suggesting annexation. In May 2010 the Charter Movement delivered a petition to the South African High Commission requesting integration. South Africa's home affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa rejected the idea that Lesotho should be treated as a special case. "It is a sovereign country like South Africa. We sent envoys to our neighbours – Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho – before we enforced the passport rule. When you travel from Britain to South Africa, don't you expect to use a passport?"

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Lesotho

Embassy in Washington, D.C., USA.

Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. It is a member of many regional economic organisations, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). It is also active in the United Nations (UN), the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and many other international organisations.

Prince Seeiso Simoné Seeiso is the present High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the Court of St. James's. The UN is represented by a resident mission as well, including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, WFP, UNFPA and UNAIDS.

Lesotho also has maintained ties with the United Kingdom (Wales in particular), Germany, the United States and other Western states. Although in 1990 it broke relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and re-established relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan), it later restored ties with the PRC.

Lesotho also recognises the State of Palestine and the Republic of Kosovo.

In the past, it was a strong public opponent of apartheid in South Africa and granted a number of South African refugees political asylum during the apartheid era.

Law

Lesotho does not have a single code containing its laws; it draws them from a variety of sources including: Constitution, Legislation, Common Law, Judicial precedent, Customary Law, and Authoritative texts.

The Parliament building in Maseru.

The Constitution of Lesotho came into force after the publication of the Commencement Order. Constitutionally, legislation refers to laws that have been passed by both houses of parliament and have been assented to by the king (section 78(1)). Subordinate legislation refers to laws passed by other bodies to which parliament has by virtue of section 70(2) of the Constitution validly delegated such legislative powers. These include government publications, ministerial orders, ministerial regulations and municipal by-laws.

Although Lesotho shares with South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Zimbabwe a mixed general legal system which resulted from the interaction between the Roman-Dutch Civilian law and the English Common Law, its general law operates independently. Lesotho also applies the common law, which refers to unwritten law or law from non-statutory sources, but excludes customary law. Decisions from South African courts are only persuasive, and courts refer to them in formulating their decisions. Decisions from similar jurisdictions can also be cited for their persuasive value. Magistrates’ courts decisions do not become precedent since these are lower courts. They are however bound by decisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal. At the apex of the Lesotho justice system is the Court of Appeal, which is the final appellate forum on all matters. It has a supervisory and review jurisdiction over all the courts of Lesotho.

Lesotho has a dual legal system consisting of customary and general laws operating side by side. Customary law is made up of the customs of the Basotho, written and codified in the Laws of Lerotholi whereas general law consists of Roman Dutch Law imported from the Cape and the Lesotho statutes. The codification of customary law came about after a council was appointed in 1903 to advise the British Resident Commissioner on what was best for the Basotho in terms of laws that would govern them. Until this time, the Basotho customs and laws were passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition. The council was then given the task of codifying them, came up with the Laws of Lerotholi which are applied by customary courts today (local courts). Written works of eminent authors have persuasive value in the courts of Lesotho. These include writings of the old authorities as well as contemporary writers from similar jurisdictions.

Districts

Districts and Cities of Lesotho

Main article: Districts of Lesotho

For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into ten districts, each headed by a district administrator. Each district has a capital known as a camptown.

• Berea
• Butha-Buthe
• Leribe
• Mafeteng
• Maseru

• Mohale's Hoek
• Mokhotlong
• Qacha's Nek
• Quthing
• Thaba-Tseka

The districts are further subdivided into 80 constituencies, which consist of 129 local community councils.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Lesotho

The Afriski resort in the Maloti Mountains of Lesotho.

Lesotho covers 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi). It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) in elevation. Its lowest point of 1,400 metres (4,593 ft) is thus the highest in the world. Over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres (5,906 ft). Lesotho is also the southernmost landlocked country in the world and is entirely surrounded by South Africa. It lies between latitudes 28° and 31°S, and longitudes 27° and 30°E.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Lesotho

Because of its altitude, Lesotho remains cooler throughout the year than other regions at the same latitude. Most of the rain falls as summer thunderstorms. Maseru and surrounding lowlands often reach 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to −7 °C (19 °F) and the highlands to −18 °C (0 °F) at times. Snow is common in the highlands between May and September; the higher peaks can experience snowfalls year-round.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lesotho

Sani Pass on the South African border is a popular tourist attraction.

Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The economy of Lesotho is based on agriculture, livestock, manufacturing and mining, and depends heavily on inflows of workers’ remittances and receipts from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The majority of households subsist on farming. The formal sector employment consists of mainly the female workers in the apparel sector, the male migrant labour, primarily miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months and employment in the Government of Lesotho (GOL). The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earn income through informal crop cultivation or animal husbandry with nearly two-thirds of the country's income coming from the agricultural sector. The percentage of the population living below USD Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) US$1.25/day fell from 48 percent to 44 percent between 1995 and 2003. The country is among the "Low Human Development" countries (rank 160 of 187 on the Human Development Index) as classified by the UNDP, with 48.2 years of life expectancy at birth. Adult literacy is as high as 82%. Among the children below the age of 5 years, 20% are under weight.

Lesotho has taken advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to become the largest exporter of garments to the US from sub-Saharan Africa. US brands and retailers sourcing from Lesotho include: Foot Locker, Gap, Gloria Vanderbilt, JCPenney, Levi Strauss, Saks, Sears, Timberland and Wal-Mart. In mid-2004 its employment reached over 50,000 mainly female workers, marking the first time that manufacturing sector workers outnumbered government employees. In 2008 it exported goods worth 487 million dollars mainly to the USA Since 2004 employment in the sector was somehow reduced to about 45,000, in mid-2011, due to intense international competition in the garment sector. It was the largest formal sector employer in Lesotho in 2011. In 2007, the average earnings of an employee in the textile sector were $103 per month, and the official minimum wage for a general textile worker was $93 per month. The average gross national income per capita in 2008 was $83 per month. The sector initiated a major program to fight HIV/AIDS called Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA). It is an industry-wide program providing prevention and treatment for the workers. (see below HIV)

Katse Dam

Mohale Dam

Water and diamonds are Lesotho's significant natural resources. Water is utilised through the 21-year, multibillion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), under the authority of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. The project commenced in 1986. The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately $70 million in 2010 from the sale of electricity and water to South Africa. The World Bank, African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and many other bilateral donors financed the project.

Diamonds are produced at the Letseng, Mothae, Liqhobong and Kao mines, which combined are estimated to produce 240,000 carats of diamonds in 2014, worth $300 million. The Letseng mine is estimated to produce diamonds with an average value of $2172/carat, making it the worlds richest mine on an average price per-carat basis. The sector suffered a set back in 2008 as the result of the world recession but rebounded in 2010 and 2011. Export of diamonds reached $230 million in 2010/11. In 1957, a South African adventurer, colonel Jack Scott, accompanied by a young man named Keith Whitelock, set out prospecting for diamonds. They found their diamond mine at 3,100 m altitude, on top of the Maluti Mountains in northeastern Lesotho, some 70 km from Mokhotlong at Letseng. In 1967, a 601-carat (120.2 g) diamond (Lesotho Brown) was discovered in the mountains by a Mosotho woman. In August 2006, a 603-carat (120.6 g) white diamond, the Lesotho Promise, was discovered at the Letseng-la-Terae mine. Another 478-carat (95.6 g) diamond was discovered at the same location in 2008.

Lesotho has progressed in moving from a predominantly subsistence-oriented economy to a lower middle income economy exporting natural resources and manufacturing goods. The exporting sectors have brought higher and more secure incomes to a significant portion of the population.

The global economic crisis hit the Lesotho economy hard through: the loss of textile exports and jobs in the sector due largely to the economic slowdown in the United States which is a major export destination; reduced diamond mining and exports, including weak prices for diamonds; drop in SACU revenues due to the economic slowdown in the South African economy; and reduction in worker remittances due to weakening of the South African economy and contraction of the mining sector and related job losses in South Africa. In 2009, GDP growth slowed to 0.9 percent.

The official currency is the loti (plural: maloti), but can be used interchangeably with the South African rand. Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, and South Africa also form a common currency and exchange control area known as the Common Monetary Area (CMA). The loti is at par with the rand. One hundred lisente (singular: sente) equal one loti.

Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), in which tariffs have been eliminated on the trade of goods between other member countries Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. Lesotho has received economic aid from a variety of sources, including the United States, the World Bank, Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Germany.

Population

See also: Demographics of Lesotho

Primary school class

Women walking

Demographics

Lesotho has a population of approximately 2,067,000. The population distribution of Lesotho is 25% urban and 75% rural. However, it is estimated that annual increase of urban population is 3.5%. Population density is lower in the highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population—60.2%—is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 34.8%.

Ethnic groups and languages

Lesotho's ethno-linguistic structure consists almost entirely of the Basotho, a Bantu-speaking people: an estimated 99.7% of the people identify as Basotho. Basotho subgroups include the Bakuena (Kuena), Batloung (the Tlou), Baphuthi (the Phuti), Bafokeng, Bataung (the Tau), Batšoeneng (the Tšoene), Matebele etc.

The main language, Sesotho (or Sotho), is also the first official and administrative language, and it is what Basotho speak on an ordinary basis.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Lesotho

The population of Lesotho is estimated to be around 90% Christian. Protestants represent 45% of the population (Evangelicals 26%, Anglican and other Protestant groups an additional 19%). Roman Catholics also represent 45% of the population, pastorally served by the province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Maseru and his three suffragans (the bishops of Leribe, Mohale's Hoek and Qacha's Nek), who also form the national episcopal conference.

Members of other religions (Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Bahá'í) and members of traditional indigenous religions comprise the remaining 10% of the population.

Education and literacy

National University of Lesotho.

According to recent estimates, 85% of those older than 14 are literate. As such, Lesotho holds one of the highest literacy rates in Africa, in part because Lesotho invests over 12% of its GDP in education. Unlike in most other countries, in Lesotho female literacy (94.5%) exceeds male literacy. According to a study by the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality in 2000, 37% of grade 6 pupils in Lesotho (average age 14 years) are at or above reading level 4, "Reading for Meaning." A pupil at this level of literacy can read ahead or backwards through various parts of text to link and interpret information. Although education is not compulsory, the Government of Lesotho is incrementally implementing a program for free primary education.

Despite their literacy, Lesotho's residents struggle for access to vital services, such as healthcare, travel and educational resources, as, according to the International Telecommunication Union, only 3.4% of the population use the Internet. A service from Econet Telecom Lesotho expanded the country's access to email through entry-level, low-end mobile phones and, consequently, improved access to educational information. The African Library Project works to establish school and village libraries in partnership with US Peace Corps Lesotho and the Butha Buthe District of Education.

Health

Infant mortality is at about 8.3%. There are 5 physicians per 100,000 persons.

HIV/AIDS

Main article: HIV/AIDS in Lesotho

Lesotho is severely afflicted by HIV/AIDS. According to 2009 estimates, the prevalence is about 23.6%, one of the highest in the world. In urban areas, about 50% of women under 40 have HIV. The UNDP stated that in 2006 life expectancy in Lesotho was estimated at 42 years for men and women.

The country regards HIV as one of its most important development issues, and the government is addressing the pandemic through its HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plan. Coverage of some key HIV/AIDS interventions has improved, including prevention of mother to child transmission and antiretroviral therapy. Prevention of mother to child transmission coverage increased from about 5 percent in 2005, to 31 percent in 2007. The roll-out of antiretroviral therapy has made good progress, with 38,586 people receiving treatment by 2008.

The "Know Your Status" campaign boosted the number of people being tested for HIV to 229,092 by the end of 2007, 12 percent of the population and three times the number tested in 2005. The program is funded by the Clinton Foundation and started in June 2006. Bill Clinton and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates visited Lesotho in July 2006 to assess its fight against AIDS. As a result, the annual rate at which adults in the population who are HIV-negative become HIV-positive declined from 2.9 percent in 2005 to 2.3 percent in 2007, lowering the estimated annual number of new infections from 26,000 to 21,560. These are the first signs of a decline in the HIV epidemic.

The Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA) is an industry-wide program providing prevention and treatment, including ARVs when these are necessary, for the 46,000 mainly women workers in the Lesotho apparel industry. It was launched in May 2006. The program is helping to combat two of the key drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic: poverty and gender inequality. Surveys within the industry by ALAFA show that 43% of the employees have HIV.

Prince Harry of UK co-founded the charity Sentebale in Lesotho, for children with HIV/AIDS. The other co-founder is the Prince of Lesotho.

Culture

Child wrapped in a traditional Basotho blanket.

See also: Music of Lesotho and List of African writers by country

Traditional musical instruments include lekolulo, a kind of flute used by herding boys, setolo-tolo, played by men using their mouth, and the woman's stringed thomo.

The national anthem of Lesotho is "Lesotho Fatše La Bo-ntata Rona", which literally translates into "Lesotho, Land of Our Fore-Fathers".

The traditional style of housing in Lesotho is called a mokhoro. Many older houses, especially in smaller towns and villages, are of this type, with walls usually constructed from large stones cemented together. Baked mud bricks and especially concrete blocks are also used nowadays, with thatched roofs still common, although often replaced by corrugated roofing sheets.

Traditional attire revolves around the Basotho blanket, a thick covering made primarily of wool. The blankets are ubiquitous throughout the country during all seasons, and worn differently for men and women.

The Morija Arts & Cultural Festival is a prominent Sesotho arts and music festival. It is held annually in the historical town of Morija, where the first missionaries arrived in 1833.

Cuisine

The cuisine of Lesotho includes African traditions and British influences.

Social issues

Significant levels of child labour exist in Lesotho, and the country is in the process of formulating an Action Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (APEC). According to the UN, Lesotho has the highest rape rate of any country (91.6 per 100,000 people rate for reported rape in 2008).

Treatment of people with disabilities is another major issue facing the country. According to the Lesotho Census 2006 around 4% of the population is thought to have some sort of disability. However, there are concerns regarding the reliability of the methodologies used and the real figure is thought to be closer to the global estimate of 15%. According to a survey conducted by the Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled in conjunction with SINTEF, people with disability in Lesotho face significant social and cultural barriers which prevent them from accessing education, healthcare, and employment on an equal basis with others.

On 2 December 2008 Lesotho became the 42nd country in the world to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, to date the treaty has yet to be domesticated. Despite lobbying efforts from disabled persons organisations, there have been no moves to develop disability specific legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Although the National Disability and Rehabilitation Policy was developed in 2011, as yet there has been no budget allocated for its implementation.

Sexual violence in Lesotho is a serious problem. International data from UNODC found the incidence of rapes recorded in 2008 by the police to be the highest in Lesotho.

One study in Lesotho found that 61% of women reported having experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives, of which 22% reported being physically forced to have sexual intercourse. In the 2009 DHS survey 15.7% of men said that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife if she refuses to have sex with him, while 16% said a husband is justified to use force to have sex. In another study, researches have concluded that "Given the high prevalence of HIV in Lesotho, programs should address women's right to control their sexuality."

The Married Persons Equality Act 2006 gives equal rights to wives in regard to their husbands, abolishing the husband's marital power.

The World Economic Forum's 2013 Gender Gap Report ranks Lesotho 15th in the world for gender parity, 8 places higher than the USA.

See also

• Communications in Lesotho
• Index of Lesotho-related articles
• List of people from Lesotho
• Military of Lesotho
• National University of Lesotho
• National University of Lesotho International School
• Outline of Lesotho
• Transportation in Lesotho

References

External links

• Government of Lesotho
• Published Judicial Opinions
• "Lesotho". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 
• Lesotho from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Lesotho at DMOZ
• Lesotho profile from the BBC News
• Wikimedia Atlas of Lesotho
• Key Development Forecasts for Lesotho from International Futures

UpToDate Contents

全文を閲覧するには購読必要です。 To read the full text you will need to subscribe.

• 1. サハラ以南アフリカへの旅行によって感染する可能性のある疾患 diseases potentially acquired by travel to sub saharan africa
• 2. 世界的なヒト免疫不全ウイルスの大流行 the global human immunodeficiency virus pandemic
• 3. マンソネラ感染症 mansonella infections
• 4. 黒色表皮腫 acanthosis nigricans
• 5. 皮膚の水疱を有する患者に対するアプローチ approach to the patient with cutaneous blisters

English Journal

• Comparing Estimates of Multiple and Concurrent Partnerships Across Population Based Surveys: Implications for Combination HIV Prevention.

• Morris M, Vu L, Leslie-Cook A, Akom E, Stephen A, Sherard D.SourceDepartment of Statistics, University of Washington, Box 354322, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA, morrism@u.washington.edu.
• AIDS and behavior.AIDS Behav.2013 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print]
• We compare estimates of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) with comparable Population Services International (PSI) surveys in four African countries (Kenya, Lesotho, Uganda, Zambia). DHS data produce significantly lower estimates of all indicators f
• PMID 24077973

• Predictors and Patterns of Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Use Among Adolescents in 32 Countries, 2007-2011.

• Agaku IT, Ayo-Yusuf OA, Vardavas CI, Connolly G.SourceDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Global Tobacco Control, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: iagaku@post.harvard.edu.
• The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.J Adolesc Health.2013 Sep 20. pii: S1054-139X(13)00419-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.07.037. [Epub ahead of print]
• PURPOSE: This study compared data from 32 countries to assess predictors and patterns of cigarette and smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among students aged 13-15 years old.METHODS: Data from the 2007-2008 Global Youth Tobacco Surveys were analyzed for students aged 13-15 years in 31 countries located in
• PMID 24060573

• Where to deploy pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in sub-Saharan Africa?

• Verguet S, Stalcup M, Walsh JA.SourceDepartment of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
• Sexually transmitted infections.Sex Transm Infect.2013 Sep 17. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2012-050891. [Epub ahead of print]
• OBJECTIVE: Two randomised controlled trials showed that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduces HIV transmission between heterosexual men and women. We model the potential impact on transmission and cost-effectiveness of providing PrEP in sub-Saharan Africa.METHODS: We use a deterministic, compartme
• PMID 23912819

• Mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins associated with stored maize from different regions of Lesotho.

• Mohale S, Medina A, Rodríguez A, Sulyok M, Magan N.SourceApplied Mycology Group, Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK.
• Mycotoxin research.Mycotoxin Res.2013 Aug 17. [Epub ahead of print]
• Samples of stored maize from villages located in five different agroecological zones (southern lowlands, northern lowlands, Senqu river valley, foothills and mountains) of Lesotho were collected in 2009/10 and 2010/11 and assessed for contamination with toxigenic fungi. The water activity of all sam
• PMID 23955377

Japanese Journal

• 末永純平さんに聞く 授業は朝7時から。レソトの大学で学んだ9カ月

• アフリカnow (100), 26-28, 2014-02
• NAID 40020032626

• 「スポーツと開発」NGOの「土着化」に関する研究 : レソト王国におけるKick4Lifeを事例として (広がる「スポーツと社会」研究)

• 一橋大学スポーツ研究 (33), 3-15, 2014
• NAID 120005568163

• A Review of UNGASS-Based Outcomes and Impact of HIV/AIDS Programs in Eight sub-Saharan Countries

• 国際保健医療 26(4), 253-262, 2011
• NAID 130004471834

• WHO DRIVES RESETTLEMENT? THE CASE OF LESOTHO'S MOHALE DAM

• African study monographs 31(2), 57-106, 2010-07-30
• NAID 110007618739

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