1 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 has nocoast on thesea nor on a lake. This type of country is calledlandlocked, meaning it is surrounded by land. All of Lesotho'strade must either be flown in byaeroplane, or brought in by land. Lesotho's position is unusual: it is completely surrounded bySouth Africa and has no borders with any other country. This type of country is called anenclave. Lesotho is one of the only three enclaved countries in the world (the other two areSan Marino and theVatican City). This makes Lesotho's relationship with South Africa very important to them both.
Lesotho has manymountains and is one of the most mountainous countries in the world. All of Lesotho is at least 1,400 m abovesea level. People sometimes travel there toski inwinter. The many mountains in Lesotho mean that it rains there a lot. Lesotho uses some of its water to generateelectricity and sells some of the water to South Africa.
Lesotho became a country in1818, but it was then calledBasutoland. A man called Moshoeshoe brought several of the groups of people in the area together and formed a new country with him as itsking. This new country came under attack from its enemies and in1868 Moshoeshoe askedQueen Victoria ofGreat Britain for help. Great Britain said it would help if Lesotho became part of the British Empire.
Lesotho eventually gained itsindependence on4 October1966. Now it is a member of the British Commonwealth. King Letsie III is the ruler of Lesotho.
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