  | |
| Continent | Africa |
|---|---|
| Region | Southern Africa |
| Coordinates | 29°30′S28°30′E / 29.500°S 28.500°E /-29.500; 28.500 |
| Area | Ranked 141st |
| • Total | 30,355 km2 (11,720 sq mi) |
| • Land | 100% |
| • Water | 0% |
| Coastline | 0 km (0 mi) |
| Borders | Total land borders: 909 km (565 mi) South Africa: 909 km (565 mi) |
| Highest point | Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m (11,424 ft) |
| Lowest point | Junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m (4,593.2 ft) |
Lesotho is a mountainous,landlocked country located inSouthern Africa. It is anenclave, surrounded bySouth Africa. The total length of the country's borders is 909 kilometres (565 mi). Lesotho covers an area of around 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi), of which a negligible percentage is covered with water.
The most popular 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 metres (3,281 ft) inelevation.[1] Its lowest point is at 1,400 metres (4,593 ft),the highest low point of any country.[2] Because of its elevation, the country's climate is cooler than in most other regions at the samelatitude. Itsclimate zone can be classified ascontinental.
Lesotho is a country in Southern Africa, located at around 29°30' south latitude and 28°30' east longitude. It is the141st largest country in the world, with a total land area of 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi), of which a negligible percentage is covered with water.[1] Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, making it one of only three countries in the world that are enclaved within another country; the other two areSan Marino andVatican City, both located withinItaly.[3] The total length of the South African border is 909 kilometres (565 mi).[1] Lesotho's status as an enclave also means that it is landlocked and largely dependent on South Africa. The nearest major shipping port isDurban.[4]
Lesotho can be roughly divided into three geographic regions: the lowlands, following the southern banks of theCaledon River, and in theSenqu river valley; the highlands formed by theDrakensberg andMaloti mountain ranges in the east and central parts of the country; and the foothills that form a divide between the lowlands and the highlands.[5] The lowest elevation in the country is at the junction of theMakhaleng andOrange (Senqu) rivers (at the South African border), which at 1,400 metres (4,593 ft) is the highest lowest point of any country.[2] Lesotho is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) in elevation.[6] The highest point is the peak of theThabana Ntlenyana mountain, which reaches an elevation of 3,482 metres (11,424 ft).[1] Over 80% of Lesotho lies above 1,800 metres (5,906 ft).[1]
Even though very little of Lesotho is covered in water, the rivers that run across the country are an important part of Lesotho's economy. Much of the country's export income comes from water, and much of its power comes fromhydroelectricity.[7] TheOrange River rises in theDrakensberg mountains in northeastern Lesotho and flows across the entire length of the country before exiting to South Africa at theMohale's Hoek District in the southwest. TheCaledon River marks the northwestern part of the border with South Africa. Other rivers include theMalibamatso,Matsoku andSenqunyane.
The bedrock of Lesotho belongs to theKaroo Supergroup, consisting mostly ofshale andsandstone.[8]Peatlands can be found in the highlands of Lesotho, most extensively in the mountainousescarpment near the country's eastern border. The summit of Thabana Ntlenyana is partially encircled by bogs.[9]
Solifluction deposits,blockfields,blockstreams andstone garlands can be found across the higher portions of the Lesotho Highlands. These features were formed in connection to theperiglacial conditions that prevailed during thelast glacial period in the area.[10][11]
Lesotho is divided into 10 administrativedistricts, each with its own capital, called acamptown.[12] The districts are further subdivided into 80 constituencies, which consist of 129 local community councils.[13] The distribution of population inLesotho overlaps with the country's varied ecological conditions; poverty too is linked to ecological conditions.[14]
Districts (in alphabetical order):
Because of its altitude, the country remains cooler throughout the year than most other regions at the same latitude. Lesotho has a temperate climate,[15] with hot summers and cold winters.Maseru and its surrounding lowlands often reach 30 °C (86 °F) in the summer.[16] Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to −7 °C (19.4 °F) and the highlands to −20 °C (−4.0 °F) at times.[16]
The yearly precipitation varies from around 600 millimetres (23.6 in) in the lowland valleys to around 1,200 millimetres (47.2 in) in areas of the northern and eastern escarpment bordering South Africa.[7][17] Most of the rain falls as summerthunderstorms: 85% of the annual precipitation falls between the months of October and April.[17] The winters—between May and September are usually very dry.[17]Snow is common in the deserts and low valleys between May and September; the higher peaks can experience occasional significant snowfall year-round.[6] Annual variance in rainfall is quite erratic, which leads to periodicdroughts in the dry season (May to September) andflooding, which can be severe in the rainy season (October–April).
| Climate data for Maseru (1931–1960) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 25 (77) | 21 (70) | 18 (64) | 15 (59) | 16 (61) | 19 (66) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 26 (79) | 28 (82) | 23 (72) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14 (57) | 14 (57) | 12 (54) | 8 (46) | 3 (37) | 0 (32) | −1 (30) | 2 (36) | 6 (43) | 9 (48) | 12 (54) | 13 (55) | 8 (46) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 114 (4.5) | 89 (3.5) | 96 (3.8) | 67 (2.6) | 29 (1.1) | 12 (0.5) | 14 (0.6) | 15 (0.6) | 19 (0.7) | 63 (2.5) | 80 (3.1) | 93 (3.7) | 691 (27.2) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 13 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 88 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 37 | 42 | 43 | 42 | 38 | 35 | 32 | 27 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 35 | 35 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 287 | 263 | 259 | 241 | 247 | 232 | 254 | 279 | 278 | 276 | 279 | 307 | 3,202 |
| Source:Danish Meteorological Institute[18] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Letšeng-la-Terae | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) | 14.5 (58.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 7.7 (45.9) | 5.4 (41.7) | 5.4 (41.7) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.9 (49.8) | 11.2 (52.2) | 12.6 (54.7) | 13.7 (56.7) | 10.4 (50.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) | 9.7 (49.5) | 7.7 (45.9) | 5.1 (41.2) | 2.0 (35.6) | −0.1 (31.8) | 0.0 (32.0) | 1.5 (34.7) | 4.6 (40.3) | 6.0 (42.8) | 7.5 (45.5) | 8.9 (48.0) | 5.2 (41.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 4.9 (40.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | −0.3 (31.5) | −3.6 (25.5) | −5.5 (22.1) | −5.3 (22.5) | −3.8 (25.2) | −0.6 (30.9) | 0.8 (33.4) | 2.5 (36.5) | 4.1 (39.4) | 0.1 (32.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 133 (5.2) | 119 (4.7) | 120 (4.7) | 67 (2.6) | 20 (0.8) | 10 (0.4) | 8 (0.3) | 24 (0.9) | 57 (2.2) | 89 (3.5) | 115 (4.5) | 119 (4.7) | 881 (34.5) |
| Source: Climate-data.org[19] | |||||||||||||
Lesotho is poor in natural resources.[20] Economically the most important resource is water. TheLesotho Highlands Water Project allows exporting water from theMalibamatso,Matsoku,Senqu andSenqunyane rivers to South Africa, while also generatinghydroelectric power for Lesotho's needs. As of April 2008, the first phase of the project has been completed.[7] The project already accounts for an estimated five percent of Lesotho'sGDP, and when fully completed, it could account for as much as 20 percent.[21]
The main mineral resource is diamonds from theLetseng diamond mine in the Maluti mountain range. The mine produces very few stones, but has the highest dollar ratio per carat of any diamond mine in the world.[22] Other mineral resources includecoal,galena,quartz,agate anduranium deposits, but their exploitation is not considered commercially viable.[23]Clay deposits can be found in the country, and are used for producing tiles, bricks and other ceramics.[23]
Much of the population engages insubsistence farming,[24] even though only 10.71% of the country's surface is classified as arable land and 0.13% has permanent crops.[1] Much of the land has been ruined bysoil erosion.[25] The most fertile farmlands are in the northern and central lowlands, and in the foothills between the lowlands and the mountains.[17] Large tracts of the fertile farmland to the north of the country—in theFree State region of South Africa—were lost to European colonists in wars during the 19th century.
This is a list of the extreme points ofLesotho, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
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