Lesotho
Africa Β· Capital: Maseru
How it is run: Lesotho is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Lesotho is home to 2.4 million people in Southern Africa, where people speak English, Sotho.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
2.4 million people
That is about 292 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
30,355 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 78 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
45th most people in Africa
44th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
English, Sotho
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Lesotho loti (L), South African rand (R)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
57.8 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,089
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
44.7% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
34.1% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+266
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ls
π§ People here are called
Mosotho
π·οΈ Name at home
Lesotho
Also written: Kingdom of Lesotho, Muso oa Lesotho.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Lesotho is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Lesotho
French
Lesotho
Arabic
ΩΩΨ³ΩΨͺΩ
Chinese
θ±η΄’ζ
Japanese
γ¬γ½γ
Russian
ΠΠ΅ΡΠΎΡΠΎ
Portuguese
Lesoto
German
Lesotho
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 100.5Γ as many people as Lesotho.
- Lesotho covers roughly 289 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Lesotho lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 1,182 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Lesotho is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
π·οΈ Official name
Kingdom of Lesotho
ποΈ Capital
Maseru
π Region
Africa Β· Southern Africa
π€ Country code
LS
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Lesotho π
π§ Where on the map
29.5Β° S, 28.5Β° E
π Half of the world
Southern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Maseru.
- π±πΈ is the flag of Lesotho. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is LS.
- Lesotho is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Lesotho is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Lesotho sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- Lesotho sits in Southern Africa, in the southern and eastern half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Lesotho has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Lesotho?
- If Lesotho spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Lesotho?
Maseru
Which money do people spend in Lesotho?
Lesotho loti (L), South African rand (R)
How many countries share a land border with Lesotho?
1 β South Africa.
Roughly how many people live in Lesotho?
2.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.