Country Profile - LESOTHO

General Information

Area: 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles).

Population: 2,035,000 (2000).

Population Density: 67.0 per sq km.

Capital: Maseru. Population: 373,000 (1999).

GEOGRAPHY: Lesotho is a landlocked country surrounded on all sides by South Africa. It is a mountainous kingdom situated at the highest part of the Drakensberg escarpment on the eastern rim of the South African plateau. Its mountainous terrain is cut by countless valleys and ravines, making it a country of great beauty. To the west, the land descends through a foothill zone of rolling hills to a lowland belt along the border where two-thirds of the population live. Three large rivers, the Caledon, the Orange, and the Tugela, rise in the mountains.

Government: Kingdom. Gained independence from the UK in 1966. Head of State: King Letsie III since 1996. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili since 1998.

Language: Sesotho and English.

Religion: Christian; mainly Anglican, Roman Catholic and Lesotho Evangelical. The remainder belong to other denominations, including Islam.

Time: GMT + 2.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available to some cities. Country code: 266 (no area codes). Outgoing international code: 00. There is a limited internal telephone network.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 networks operated by Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Ezi-Cel. Coverage is limited to main urban areas.

Internet: There are Internet cafes in Maseru. ISPs include LEO Internet Services (website: www.lesoff.co.za).

Telegram: Limited facilities exist in main post offices and hotels. For charges, contact the High Commission or Embassy.

Post: Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1300 and 1400-1630, Sat 0800-1200.

Press: Southern Star and The Survivor are the major English-language newspapers. Lesotho Today and The Mirror are also published in English. Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online General Information

Area: 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles).

Population: 2,035,000 (2000).

Population Density: 67.0 per sq km.

Capital: Maseru. Population: 373,000 (1999).

GEOGRAPHY: Lesotho is a landlocked country surrounded on all sides by South Africa. It is a mountainous kingdom situated at the highest part of the Drakensberg escarpment on the eastern rim of the South African plateau. Its mountainous terrain is cut by countless valleys and ravines, making it a country of great beauty. To the west, the land descends through a foothill zone of rolling hills to a lowland belt along the border where two-thirds of the population live. Three large rivers, the Caledon, the Orange, and the Tugela, rise in the mountains.

Government: Kingdom. Gained independence from the UK in 1966. Head of State: King Letsie III since 1996. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili since 1998.

Language: Sesotho and English.

Religion: Christian; mainly Anglican, Roman Catholic and Lesotho Evangelical. The remainder belong to other denominations, including Islam.

Time: GMT + 2.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available to some cities. Country code: 266 (no area codes). Outgoing international code: 00. There is a limited internal telephone network.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 networks operated by Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Ezi-Cel. Coverage is limited to main urban areas.

Internet: There are Internet cafes in Maseru. ISPs include LEO Internet Services (website: www.lesoff.co.za).

Telegram: Limited facilities exist in main post offices and hotels. For charges, contact the High Commission or Embassy.

Post: Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1300 and 1400-1630, Sat 0800-1200.

Press: Southern Star and The Survivor are the major English-language newspapers. Lesotho Today and The Mirror are also published in English.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Passport/Visa

Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes No Yes Australian Yes No Yes Canadian Yes No Yes USA Yes No Yes OtherEU Yes No Yes Japanese Yes No Yes

Note: Visitors travelling via South Africa will need to comply with South African passport/visa regulations.

PASSPORTS: Required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following for stays of up to 3 months:

(a) nationals referred to in the chart above;

(b) nationals of Commonwealth countries (except for nationals of Bangladesh, Cameroon, Fiji, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nigeria and Sri Lanka who do require a visa);

(c) nationals of Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Madagascar, Norway and Switzerland.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist/Business: £30 (single-entry); £50 (multiple-entry).

Validity: Single-entry: up to 3 months. Multiple-entry: up to 6 months.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy or High Commission); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Two application forms. (c) Two passport-size photos. (d) Return ticket. (e) Business sponsor’s letter for Business visa. (f) Fee.

Working days required: 1.

Temporary residence: Apply to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Maseru. Enquire at Embassy for details.

Money

Currency: Loti (M) = 100 lisente. Notes are in denominations of M200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 lisente. The plural of ‘loti’ is ‘maloti’ and the singular of ‘lisente’ is ‘sente’. The South African Rand is accepted as legal currency on a par with the Loti (Rand R1 = 100 cents).

Credit & debit cards: Limited acceptance of Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: These are widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local and foreign currency is unrestricted.

Exchange rate indicators: The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Loti against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May '04 £1.00= 11.81 11.70 12.87 12.51 $1.00= 7.40 6.89 7.07 7.00

Banking hours: Mon-Tues and Thurs-Fri 0830-1530, Wed 0830-1300, Sat 0830-1100.

Duty Free

Duty-Free: The following goods may be imported into Lesotho without incurring customs duty:

400 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 250g of tobacco; 1l of spirits and 2l of wine; 50ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette. Gifts up to value of M500.

Note: (a) Goods with serial numbers must be declared. (b) No alcohol may be imported by South African nationals.

Public Holidays

Public Holidays: Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Mar 11 Moshoeshoe Day. Apr 4 Heroes’ Day. Apr 9 Good Friday. Apr 12 Easter Monday. May 1 Workers’ Day. May 20 Ascension. Jul 17 King Letsie III’s Birthday. Oct 4 Independence Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Jan 1 2005 New Year’s Day. Mar 11 Moshoeshoe Day. Mar 25 Good Friday. Mar 28 Easter Monday. Apr 4 Heroes’ Day. May 1 Workers’ Day. May 5 Ascension. Jul 17 King Letsie III’s Birthday. Oct 4 Independence Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas.

Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required? Yellow Fever Yes 1 Cholera No No Typhoid and Polio 2 N/A Malaria No N/A

1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of all travellers arriving within 6 days from infected areas, even if they do not leave the airport.

2: Typhoid fever is common in some areas. Poliomyelitis has very nearly been eradicated, so risk of infection is very low.

Food & drink: Tap water is considered safe to drink. However, drinking water outside main cities and towns may be contaminated and sterilisation is advisable. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Hepatitis A and B occur. Lesotho is free of bilharzia (schistosomiasis) and people may swim in fresh water without danger.

Health care: Health insurance is recommended.

Note: Since the most practical way to reach Lesotho is to go through South Africa, it will also be necessary to conform to South African health regulations.

Travel – International

AIR: Lesotho’s national airline has closed down. South African Airways (SA) has daily flights to Maseru from Johannesburg (flight time is approximately 1 hour 10 minutes), where connections to the rest of the world can be made.

Approximate flight times: From Maseru to London is 14 hours (including a stopover of 2 hours).

International airports: Maseru (MSU) (Moshoeshoe International) is 18km (11 miles) south of Maseru. Buses go to the city (travel time – 30 minutes). Airport facilities include a bank and bureau de change (with limited opening hours on Tuesday and Friday), bar, restaurant, flight information, left luggage facilities, car hire and post office.

Departure tax: M20; transit passengers and children under 5 years are exempt.

ROAD: There are three major road links to South Africa: at Caledonsport, Ficksburg Bridge and Maseru Bridge. Other crossing points exist, but the road surfaces are not as good. Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg Bridge are open 24 hours a day. Caledonsport is open by 0800 but may close as early as 1600. Bus: Minibuses run regularly between Maseru and Johannesburg.

Road tax: M5, payable by all travellers leaving Lesotho by road.

RAIL: Lesotho is linked with the South African railway system by a short line (2.6km/1.6 miles) from Maseru to Marseilles, on the Bloemfontein/Natal main line. However, this is only used for goods trains at present.

Travel – Internal

ROAD: Traffic drives on the left. The road system is underdeveloped and few roads are paved. The main road which runs through the towns from the north to the western and southern borders is tarred, but other roads can be impassable during the rainy season. There are minibuses in the lowlands. Car hire is available in Maseru. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended. National driving licences are normally valid, providing that they are either in English or accompanied by a certified translation. Enquire at the High Commission or Embassy for details. Travel times: The following chart gives travel times (in hours and minutes) from Maseru to other towns in Lesotho.

Road Teyateyaneng - Leribe 1.00 Butha-Buthe - Mokhotlong 7.00 Qachas Nek 8.00 Thabatseka 5.00 Mohales Hoek 1.30 Quthing 3.00 Mafeteng 1.00

Accommodation

HOTELS: There are hotels of varying quality in the main towns and mountain lodges giving access to the wilder regions. There are several hotels in Maseru of international standard. Further information can be obtained from the Lesotho Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section).

LODGES: Commercial concerns have built several lodges (mostly self-catering) providing bungalow accommodation.

Sport & Activities

Pony trekking: At the moment three treks are on offer, two of them covering the great falls at Ribaneng, Ketane and Maletsunyane, the latter being particularly noteworthy as it is the highest single-drop fall in southern Africa. There is a choice of return, once Semonkong has been reached, between going back to Maseru by road on the fourth day or continuing the pony ride for another two days to Ha Ramabanta, where motor transport will be available for the return to Maseru. The other route is the Molimo Nthuse circular trip, starting at the Molimo Nthuse (‘God Help Me’) Centre (the actual base for the Basotho Pony Trekking Centre) and going over Thaba Putsoa (‘Blue Mountain’) Pass to reach Ha Marakabei-Senqunyane Lodge on the second day. The return trip via Molikaliko and Qiloane Falls reaches Molimo Nthuse from a different direction on the fifth day. Unlike the three falls of the first trip, Qiloane is a wide fall with several smaller drops. Overnight stops are usually made in the rural areas in the huts of the remote Basotho where a taste of real Basotho life is experienced. All the routes pass through magnificent countryside.

Skiing: In conjunction with a private company, the Lesotho government has developed a modern ski resort in the heart of the Lesotho highlands. Just 4.5 hours drive from Johannesburg, the resort aims to attract skiers from both Southern Africa and Europe (website: www.afriski.co.za).

Mountain climbing: Mountain climbing is a popular and ideal way of seeing the rugged beauty of the land.

Birdwatching: As many as 279 species of birds have been recorded and keen birdwatchers should take a trip along the Mountain Road to see birds rare to southern Africa.

Fishing: Lesotho’s dams and rivers contain local and imported fish. Brown and rainbow trout and carp provide satisfying sport for anglers.

Other: Horseracing is a popular sport and meetings take place throughout the country. Football is Lesotho’s national game and matches are played most Saturdays and Sundays. Maseru has high-standard tennis courts. For swimming, bilharzia-free rivers and lakes and hotel pools are available for bathing.

Social Profile

Food & Drink: The main hotels in Maseru serve international food, but there are also some interesting places to dine in the main towns. Hotels and restaurants in Lesotho cater for all nationalities. There are halal foods and seafood. Cooking styles include French, Italian, Continental and Chinese in Maseru. Much food has to be imported from South Africa, but freshwater fish is in abundant supply.

Good beer is widely available and better establishments will have a good choice of beers, spirits and wines.

Nightlife: Some hotels and restaurants have live entertainment. There are also several cinemas in Maseru and there are casinos at the two major international hotels.

Shopping: There are many handicraft shops and centres selling items including Lesotho’s famous conical hats; grass-woven articles (mats, brooms and baskets); pottery; wool and mohair rugs; tapestries and other textiles; rock painting reproductions; traditional seed, clay bead and porcupine quill jewellery; silver and gold items; copper work (particularly chess sets of African design) and ebony items. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0800-1500.

Special Events: Major events celebrated in Lesotho are the two main Christian feasts of Easter and Christmas. The following is a selection of special events occurring in Lesotho in 2004:

Mar 11 Moshoeshoe Day. Jul 17 King’s Birthday. Oct 4 National Independence Day.

Social Conventions: If spending some time in rural villages, it is polite to inform the Head Chief. It is likely that he will be very helpful. Normal social courtesies and a friendly, warm approach will be greatly appreciated. Dress should be practical and casual but local customs should be respected (including those regarding modesty in dress). Religion plays an important part in daily life. Photography: Photographs must not be taken of the following: the palace, police establishments, government offices, the airport or monetary authority buildings. Tipping: It is customary in restaurants and hotels to give a tip as a reward for good service.

Business Profile

Economy: The earnings of the estimated 150,000 Lesotho nationals working in South Africa account for a substantial proportion of the country’s income. Inside the country, 40 per cent of the workforce are engaged in agriculture, farming maize, wheat and other crops. Wool, mohair and hides are important exports. Nonetheless, Lesotho’s vulnerability to drought means that over half the country’s food must be imported from South Africa: this was particularly apparent during mid-2002, when large-scale famine was narrowly averted. There are reserves of ores and minerals, including diamonds, uranium, lead and iron ore, but little exploitation has taken place. Light manufacturing, meanwhile, has grown steadily with food, drink and textiles as the main products. Tourism is a major source of foreign exchange. Lesotho’s government has historically relied on foreign aid, particularly for infrastructure programmes (large parts of which were destroyed during a major civil insurrection in 1998). The most important infrastructure project of recent years has been Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which aims to deliver water to South Africa and provide 60 per cent of Lesotho’s electricity supply. South Africa is Lesotho’s major trading partner and the Southern African Customs Union provides over 95 per cent of the country’s imports. Unfortunately, Lesotho and South Africa also share the scourge of the region, HIV/AIDS, which has infected over one-third of Lesotho’s productive labour force.

Business: Lightweight suit, shirt and tie should be worn for business meetings. English will be spoken by most businesspeople. Usual business formalities should be observed, but expect a casual atmosphere and pace. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1245 and 1400-1630, Sat 0800-1300. Government office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1245 and 1400-1630.

Commercial Information: The following organisations can offer advice: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Marketing, PO Box 747, Maseru 100 (tel: 312 938); or Lesotho National Development Corporation, Private Bag A96, Development House, Block A, Kingsway Street, Maseru 100 (tel: 312 012; fax: 310 038; e-mail: info@lndc.org.ls; website: www.lndc.org.ls); or Lesotho Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PO Box 79, Kingsway Avenue, Maseru 100 (tel: 323 482; fax: 310 417).

Conferences/Conventions: The Lesotho Tourist Board can provide advice (see Contact Addresses section).

Climate

Climate: Temperate climate with well-marked seasons. Summer is the rainy season; 85 per cent of rainfall occurs from October to April, especially in the mountains. Snow occurs in the highlands from May to September. The hottest period is from January to February. Lesotho is a land of clear blue skies and more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

Required clothing: During the summer, lightweight cottons with warmer wear for the evenings is needed. In winter, medium- to heavyweight clothes are advised. Waterproofing is necessary during the rainy season.