Lesotho
POPULATION 2,207,954
CATHOLIC 50 percent
EVANGELICAL 25 percent
ANGLICAN 10 percent
AFRICAN INDIGENOUS BELIEFS 9 percent
OTHER PROTESTANT 5 percent
MUSLIM, BAHAI, AND OTHER 1 percent
Country Overview
Introduction
The Kingdom of Lesotho (known before independence as Basutoland) is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Its small size, position on a high plateau on the Drakensberg Mountain's eastern escarpment, and alpine climate give it the names "little Switzerland of Africa," "roof of Africa," and "kingdom in the sky." The people of Lesotho constitute a single ethnic group, the Sotho ("Mosotho" is used to refer to a single member of that group; "Basotho" refers to two or more Sotho persons or to items and practices particular to the Sotho), 90 percent of whom identify themselves as Christian. Though only 11 percent of the land is arable, 85 percent of the population practices subsistence agriculture, growing corn, sorghum, wheat, peanuts, beans, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. Livestock raising supports less than 10 percent of the population. About 17 percent of the work force works in South African mines. Water, the good climate, and newly discovered diamonds are the country's major resources. Lesotho has a literacy rate of 71 percent, one of the highest in Africa.
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