Lesotho - Society

Population:2,020,000 (2008); 25% lives in urban areas; growth 2.1% p.a. 1970–90 and 1.4% p.a. 1990–2006; birth rate (2006) 30 per 1,000 people (43 in 1970); life expectancy 43 years.

The people are mostly Basotho, with a few thousand expatriate Europeans and several hundred Asians.

Religion:Mainly Christians (Roman Catholics 56%, and Lesotho Evangelicals and Anglicans 24%); the rest hold traditional beliefs, which often coexist with Christianity.

Language:Sesotho and English.

Media:Lesotho’s high printing costs make radio the most important means of accessing information. The national radio station, Radio Lesotho, is state run and MoAfrika FM is one of a small number of private stations. South African radio and TV can be also received. The BBC World Service is available on an FM relay.

There are several independent weekly newspapers, including Mopheme/The Survivor(Sesotho/English), The Mirror and Public Eye (English), and Makatolle, MoAfrica and Mohlanka in Sesotho. The government newspaper is Lentsoe la Basotho in Sesotho.

There are 44 TV sets (2003) and 35 internet users (2007) per 1,000 people.

Education:Public spending on education was 13.0% of GDP in 2006. There are seven years of compulsory education starting at age six. Net enrolment ratios are 72% for primary and 24% for secondary (2006). The pupil–teacher ratio for primary is 40:1 and for secondary 25:1 (2006). The school year starts in March.

About 4% of the relevant age group is enrolled in tertiary education (2006). Higher education institutes include the Lesotho College of Education, the National University of Lesotho, Lesotho Agricultural College and Lerotholi Polytechnic.

Health:78% of the population uses an improved drinking water source and 36% have adequate sanitation facilities (2006). Infant mortality was 102 per 1,000 live births in 2006 (137 in 1960). Lesotho is vulnerable to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; a high proportion of young men work in other countries with serious AIDS problems. At the end of 2005, 22.7% of people age 15 and over were HIV positive.

Communications: Country code 266. There is a limited internal phone network, and mobile phone coverage is confined to the main cities and towns. Roaming agreements exist with a few international phone companies.

There are internet cafes in Maseru. Post office branches can be found in all the main cities.

There are 30 main telephone lines and 227 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people (2007).

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Moshoeshoe’s Day (11 March), Workers’ Day (1 May), Africa/Heroes’ Day (25 May), King’s Birthday (17 July), Independence Day (4 October), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday, Easter Monday and Ascension Day.