African Members of FOCAC

　　Lesotho

　　（Updated March 2018）

　　【Official Name】Kingdom of Lesotho

　　【Area】30,344 k㎡

　　【Population】2.2 million (London Economic Quarterly Review). The vast majority of the population are Bantu-speaking Basotho and Zulu. English and Sesotho are commonly used languages. About 90% of the residents believe in Protestantism and Catholicism, while the rest believe in indigenous religions and Islam.

　　【Capital】Maseru at 1,500 meters above sea level. The population is approximately 275,000 (2013 World Geographical Dictionary). The annual highest temperature is 33℃ and the lowest temperature is -3℃.

　　【Head of State】King Letsie III, ascended the throne on February 7, 1996, and was crowned on October 31, 1997.

　　【Holiday】Moshoeshoe Day (March 11); Hero Day (April 4); King’s Birthday (July 17); Independence Day (October 4)

　　【Geography and Climate】Lesotho is a landlocked country in the southern part of Africa, and 75% of the land in the east is mountainous, with a maximum altitude of 3,482 meters. The western part of the country, about 25% of total area of the country, is at a lower elevation with a minimum altitude of 1,388 meters. The main mountains are Maloti Mountains and Drakensberg, and the main rivers are the Orange and Caledon. Surrounded by South Africa, the country has a continental subtropical climate. The dry season is from May to September, and the rainy season from October to April. The highest temperature is 33℃ and the lowest is -7℃.