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Africa :: Lesotho

- ## Introduction :: LESOTHO

- Background:
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In May 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.

- ## Geography :: LESOTHO

- Location:
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
  Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 S, 28 30 E
  Map references:
  Africa
  Area:
  total: 30,355 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 142
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland
  Land boundaries:
  total: 1,106 km
  border countries (1): South Africa 1,106 km
  Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
  Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)
  Climate:
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
  Terrain:
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
  Natural resources:
  water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 76.1%
  arable land 10.1%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 65.9%
  forest: 1.5%
  other: 22.4% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  26.37 sq km (2003)
  Total renewable water resources:
  3.02 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 0.04 cu km/yr (46%/46%/9%)
  per capita: 21.79 cu m/yr (2000)
  Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts
  Environment - current issues:
  population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

- ## People and Society :: LESOTHO

- Nationality:
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho
  Ethnic groups:
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
  Languages:
  Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
  Religions:
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
  Population:
  1,947,701
  note: 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.67% (male 319,592/female 316,672)
  15-24 years: 19.73% (male 182,697/female 201,510)
  25-54 years: 37.2% (male 354,193/female 370,287)
  55-64 years: 4.98% (male 51,693/female 45,234)
  65 years and over: 5.43% (male 53,706/female 52,117) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 67.3%
  youth dependency ratio: 60.3%
  elderly dependency ratio: 6.9%
  potential support ratio: 14.4% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 23.8 years
  male: 23.8 years
  female: 23.8 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.32% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Birth rate:
  25.47 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Death rate:
  14.89 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 1
  Net migration rate:
  -7.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 205
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 27.3% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 3.05% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  MASERU (capital) 267,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 49.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 45.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.86 years
  male: 52.76 years
  female: 52.97 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 215
  Total fertility rate:
  2.72 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  47% (2009/10)
  Health expenditures:
  11.5% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Hospital bed density:
  1.3 beds/1,000 population (2006)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 94.6% of population
  rural: 77% of population
  total: 81.8% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 5.4% of population
  rural: 23% of population
  total: 18.2% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 37.3% of population
  rural: 27.6% of population
  total: 30.3% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 62.7% of population
  rural: 72.4% of population
  total: 69.7% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  23.39% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  314,600 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,300 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  11.9% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  13.5% (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Education expenditures:
  13% of GDP (2008)
  country comparison to the world: 1
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.4%
  male: 70.1%
  female: 88.3% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 11 years
  male: 11 years
  female: 12 years (2012)
  Child labor - children ages 5-14:
  total number: 103,020
  percentage: 23% (2000 est.)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 34.4%
  male: 29%
  female: 41.9% (2008 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18

- ## Government :: LESOTHO

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  local short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland
  Government type:
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy
  Capital:
  name: Maseru
  geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E
  time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
  Independence:
  4 October 1966 (from the UK)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
  Constitution:
  previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version); amended 2001 (2013)
  Legal system:
  mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 18 March 2015)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary but under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law, the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, to determine next in line of succession, or to serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 seats; 22 principal chiefs and 11 other senators nominated by the king with the advice of the Council of State, a 13-member body of key government and non-government officials; members serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: last held on 28 February 2015 (next to be held in 2020)
  election results: percent of vote by party - DC 38.8%, ABC 38.1%, LCD, 10.0%, BNP 5.6%, PFD 1.7%, RCL 1.2%, NIP 1.0%, other 3.6%; seats by party - DC 47, ABC 46, LCD 12, BNP 7, PFD 2, RCL 2, NIP 1, MFP 1, BCP 1, LPC 1
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament); note - both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have jurisdiction in constitutional issues
  judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75
  subordinate courts: Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; Courts Martial
  Political parties and leaders:
  All Basotho Convention or ABC [Motsoahae Thomas THABANE]
  Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Thulo MAHLAKENG]
  Basotho National Party or BNP [Thesele MASERIBANE]
  Democratic Congress or DC [Pakalitha MOSISILI]
  Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Mothetjoa METSING]
  Lesotho Peoples Congress or LPC [Molahlehi LETLOTLO]
  Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]
  National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA]
  Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]
  Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Tsebo MAT�ASA] (pushes for media freedom)
  International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE (since 2 November 2011)
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew T. HARRINGTON (since October 2014)
  embassy: 254 Kingsway Road, Maseru West (Consular Section)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
  telephone: [266] 22 312666
  FAX: [266] 22 310116
  Flag description:
  three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
  National symbol(s):
  mokorotio (Basotho hat); national colors: blue, white, green, black
  National anthem:
  name: "Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers)
  lyrics/music: Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR
  note: adopted 1967; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook

- ## Economy :: LESOTHO

- Economy - overview:
  Small, mountainous, and completely landlocked by South Africa, Lesotho depends on a narrow economic base of textile manufacturing, agriculture, remittances, and regional customs revenue. About three-fourths of the people live in rural areas and engage in animal herding and subsistence agriculture, although Lesotho produces less than 20% of the nation's demand for food. Rain-fed agriculture is vulnerable to weather and climate variability. Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 90% of the goods it consumes from South Africa, including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa, in mines, on farms and as domestic workers, though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 44% of total government revenue in 2014. The South African Government also pays royalties for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However, the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers. Access to credit remains a problem for the private sector. The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for 37% of GDP in 2014 and the government remains Lesotho's largest employer. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho, mainly women, work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and may contribute 8.5% to GDP by 2015, according to current forecasts.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.282 billion (2014 est.)
  $5.17 billion (2013 est.)
  $4.995 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 173
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $2.159 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  2.2% (2014 est.)
  3.5% (2013 est.)
  5.3% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $2,800 (2014 est.)
  $2,700 (2013 est.)
  $2,600 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Gross national saving:
  26.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
  32.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
  33.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 84.4%
  government consumption: 38.7%
  investment in fixed capital: 38%
  investment in inventories: -0.7%
  exports of goods and services: 49.9%
  imports of goods and services: -110.3%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 7.5%
  industry: 35.7%
  services: 56.9% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
  Industries:
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
  Industrial production growth rate:
  3.3% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Labor force:
  894,400 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 86%
  industry and services: 14%
  note: most of the resident population is engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa (2002 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  28.1% (2014 est.)
  25% (2008 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Population below poverty line:
  49% (1999 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  63.2 (1995)
  56 (1986-87)
  country comparison to the world: 1
  Budget:
  revenues: $1.358 billion
  expenditures: $1.406 billion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  55.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -1.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Public debt:
  NA
  Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (2014 est.)
  4.9% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Central bank discount rate:
  9.36% (31 December 2012)
  10% (31 December 2010)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  10.2% (31 December 2014 est.)
  9.92% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 82
  Stock of narrow money:
  $425.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $380.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  Stock of broad money:
  $942.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $825.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $38.65 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $37.18 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 180
  Current account balance:
  -$143 million (2014 est.)
  -$228.3 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Exports:
  $824.9 million (2014 est.)
  $814.6 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Exports - commodities:
  manufactures (clothing, footwear), wool and mohair, food and live animals, electricity, water, diamonds
  Imports:
  $1.931 billion (2014 est.)
  $1.78 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  Imports - commodities:
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.101 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $1.055 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Debt - external:
  $929.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $916.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $909.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $635.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Exchange rates:
  maloti (LSL) per US dollar -
  10.6 (2014 est.)
  9.64 (2013 est.)
  8.2 (2012 est.)
  7.26 (2011 est.)
  7.32 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: LESOTHO

- Electricity - production:
  700 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Electricity - consumption:
  898 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Electricity - imports:
  247 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  80,000 kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 211
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 128
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 1
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 196
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 83
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1,830 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 194
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 193
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  3,711 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 164
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 91
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  270,100 Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192

- ## Communications :: LESOTHO

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 51,200
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 2.1 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 151
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding
  domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho was tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service dominates the market and is expanding with a subscribership roughly 65 per 100 persons in 2011; rural services are scant
  international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)
  Broadcast media:
  1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; government controls most private broadcast media; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2008)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)
  Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2007)
  Internet country code:
  .ls
  Internet users:
  total: 102,000
  percent of population: 5.3% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169

- ## Transportation :: LESOTHO

- Airports:
  24 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m:
  16 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 5,940 km
  paved: 1,069 km
  unpaved: 4,871 km (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 151

- ## Military :: LESOTHO

- Military branches:
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2012)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned officers (2012)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 472,456
  females age 16-49: 508,953 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 270,184
  females age 16-49: 275,734 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 19,110
  female: 20,037 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  1.94% of GDP (2012)
  2.3% of GDP (2011)
  1.94% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Military - note:
  Lesotho's declared policy for its military is the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa

- ## Transnational Issues :: LESOTHO

- Disputes - international:
  South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: Lesotho is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and for men subjected to forced labor; Basotho women and children are subjected to domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation within Lesotho and South Africa; some Basotho men who voluntarily migrate to South Africa for work become victims of forced labor in agriculture and mining or are coerced into committing crimes
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Lesotho does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government initiated several prosecutions for trafficking offenses but did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking; key portions of the 2011 anti-trafficking act remain unimplemented, including the development of formal referral procedures and the establishment of victim care centers; the government continued to rely on NGOs to identify and assist victims, without providing any funding or support for these services (2014)

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