Last updated on March 16th, 2023 by Editorial Staff
By | Updated on March 16, 2023
Reviewed by Rittika
Lesotho is a landlocked country in Africa. The official name of Lesotho is the Kingdom of Lesotho. It shares borders with South Africa. The people of Lesotho are called Lesothans. The country is in Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa.
Etymology discusses where a term is considered to have originated from and how its meaning has changed over time. Etymology has been a factor in the naming of countries all across the world, and Lesotho has also been influenced. The etymology of Lesotho can be defined as; “Land of the Basotho” or “of the Sesotho-speakers”.
An ethnicity is a group or sub-group of people who are connected based on common characteristics which may include religion, origin, language, traditions, or culture. The ethnic group in Lesotho is Basotho.
Lesotho Airways is the national airline of Lesotho. The national colors of the country are blue, white, green, and black. The emoji flag of the country is ????????, and the ISO code is .ls.
Lesotho is known for being the only country that is entirely over 1000m in height, and it features the world’s highest lowest point at 1400m. The national dish of Lesotho is Pap-pap. The national instrument of Lesotho is LesibaLesiba.
The country has the time zone UTC+2 (South African Standard Time) followed by dd/mm/yyyy as the standard date format.
Lesotho is divided into 10 districts and 80+ constituencies. The capital of the country is Maseru, which is also the largest city in Lesotho.
The literacy rate in Lesotho is 76.6%.
The country’s total area is 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi), and the total population is 2,142,249. The country’s average elevation is 2,161 m (7,090 ft), whereas the country’s terrain can be defined as; Mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains. The country’s usual climate is temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers.
The Lesotho loti serves as the national unit of currency, and the Central Bank of Lesotho is recognized as the country’s central bank. The domain for Lesotho is .is and the country code is +266. Upon a Basotho shield: Gules a crocodile embowed Azure is the country’s coat of arms.
Museums are known to educate and connect visitors with the nation’s history, culture, civilization, art, and architecture. Lesotho National Museum and Arts Galary serves the same purpose and is considered one of the most significant tourist attractions. Lesotho National Museum and Arts Galary is home to a large collection of artifacts. It has been designated as the national museum of the country.
The national dress of Lesotho is the Seshoeshoe. 4 October is designated as National Day. In Lesotho, the majority of the population practices Christianity as their religion.
Nature is a blessing from God and we must protect it because it provides us with the oxygen and food to survive. It also helps to keep our environment beautiful and clean. To emphasize the significance of nature, Lesotho has selected a few forces of nature as national symbols. Lesotho’s national animal is the Black Rhinoceros. The national flower is Spiral Aloe, whereas the national tree of Lesotho is the Maytenus hetrophylla, and the highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana.
Mythical creatures can be found in the literature and mythologies of many different nations. They represent imaginative representations of various creatures, humans, or hybrids. They are known for their specific features, supernatural abilities, and distinctive appearance. The mythical creature of Lesotho is Dragon.
Sports have always played an important role in developing the social and cultural structure of Lesotho and other countries. When it comes to designating a sport as the official symbol, Football is considered the country’s national sport.
King Moshoeshoe I is the founder of Lesotho. The country’s national anthem was written by François Coillard, and composed by Ferdinand-Samuel Laur.
The country’s national hero is King Moshoeshoe I.
Due to their unique qualities and rich cultural or historical backgrounds, national monuments around the world are of great importance. Thaba Bosiu is recognized as the national monument of the country. It attracts visitors from all around the world.
Numerous organizations are working on a global level to improve the current state of affairs and to collaborate in order to establish and maintain constructive partnerships. Lesotho is a member of the African Union (AU), Commonwealth of Nations, Southern African Development Community (SADC), and United Nations (UN). Lesotho collaborates with them to organize, analyze, and address various events and situations.
The tourism slogan of the country is “The Kingdom in the Sky” whereas, “Khotso, Pula, Nala – “Peace, Rain, Prosperity” is the official motto of the country.
Moeketsi Majoro is the current Prime minister of Lesotho.
Lesotho has declared Sesotho as the country’s official language.
– Further information regarding the symbols and knowledge of Lesotho can be found in the table of contents –
Former name(s) | Basutoland |
Official name(s) | Kingdom of Lesotho |
Alternative name(s) | Basutoland (former, English) |
Regional location | Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa |
Country name etymology | "Land of the Basotho"or "of the Sesotho-speakers" |
Climate | Temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
Terrain | Mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains |
Population | 2,142,249 |
National Day | 4 Oct 1966 |
Language(s) | Sesotho |
Religion | Christianity |
Country code | +266 |
Literacy rate | 76.6% |
Currency | Lesotho loti |
Capital city | Maseru |
ISO | .ls |
Domain(TLD) | .is |
Ethnicity | Basotho |
Head of government | Prime Minister |
Nationality | Lesothan |
Driving side | Drive on the Left-hand side |
Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
Total area | 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi) |
Timezone | UTC+2 (South African Standard Time) |
Average elevation | 2,161 m (7,090 ft) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) |
Mains electricity | 220 V |
Emergency telephone numbers | Emergency Telephone Numbers |
Khotso, Pula, Nala - "Peace, Rain, Prosperity"
The National animal of Lesotho is Black Rhinoceros
The National flower of Lesotho is Spiral Aloe. Botanical name is Aloe Polyphylla.
The National bird of Lesotho is Not Declared
Two eyes help each other. In a herd of cattle, it doesn’t matter which is ahead. No hill without gravestones, no valley without shadows. You might stint me, but be generous to my child. No death is different. When you have a lot to do, start with a meal. A river is filled by tributaries. Where there is honey, there are bound to be ants. Two wives, two pots of poison.