Lesotho

Lesotho is a country located in Southern Africa, entirely surrounded by South Africa, covering an area of approximately 30,355 square kilometers. As of 2025, Lesotho has a population of over 2.22 million, with Sesotho and English as official languages alongside Phuthi, Xhosa, and Zulu. The country is mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains, with more than 80% of the country at 1,800 meters above sea level, experiencing a temperate climate with cool to cold, dry winters and hot, wet summers. Maseru serves as the capital, and the government operates as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

Lesotho has a lower-middle-income economy with a GDP of $2.27 billion and a GDP per capita of $2,600, driven by food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, and tourism. Key agricultural products include milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, and wool, while natural resources include water, diamonds, sand, clay, and building stone. The unemployment rate is 16.3% as of 2025, with 49.7% of the population living below the poverty line and a life expectancy of just 57.8 years. Lesotho faces significant challenges including dire poverty, political instability, systemic corruption, and environmental fragility.