Lesotho
Economic Overview
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa and also generates royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector.
GDP Growth rate: 3% (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
- Agriculture: 16.1%
- Industry: 43%
- Services: 40.9% (2006 est.)
Trade per capita (US$, 2003-2005): 1 070
Trade to GDP ratio (2003-2005): 148.5
Exports: $779.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) | Imports: $1.401 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
Exports - commodities: Manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) | Imports - commodities: Food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products |
Exports - partners: Hong Kong 29.6%, China 24%, Taiwan 22.3%, Germany 5.7%, India 5.5% (2006) | Imports - partners: US 83.8%, Belgium 12.7%, Canada 2.4% (2006) |
Share in world total merchandise exports: 0.01
Share in world total merchandise imports: 0.01
Share in world total commercial services exports: 0.00
Share in world total commercial services imports: 0.00
Indicators
HEALTH | EDUCATIONAL | ECONOMIC | POLITICAL
GENERAL INDICATORS | ||
| HDI Rank | 149 | |
| GDP (US $ Bill.) | 2004 | 1.3 |
| GDP (PPP US $ Bill.) | 4.7 | |
| GDP Per Capita (PPP US $) | 2619 | |
| GDI Rank | 112 | |
| GDI Value | 0.486 | |
| GEM Rank | .. | |
| GEM Value | .. | |
| Total Population (Mill.) | 1975 | 1.1 |
| 2004 | 1.8 | |
| 2015a | 1.7 | |
| Total Female Population (in '000) | 2006 | 956 |
| Population living below $ 1 a day in Percentage | 36.4 | |
| Population living below the national poverty line in Percentage | .. | |
| Total Fertility Rate (Births per Woman) | 1970-75 | 5.7 |
| 2000-05 | 3.6 | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (Adjusted per 100000 live births) | 2000 | 550 |
| Probability of Female Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 18.6 |
| Probability of Male Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 11.6 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | 35.2 | |
| Female Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 36.2 | |
| Male Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 34 | |
| Population without sustainable access to safe water in Percentage | 21 | |
| ^top | ||
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* in Percentage | 66 | |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (F) in Percentage | 66 | |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (M) in Percentage | 65 | |
| Female Legislators, Officials & Managers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Female Professionals & Technical Workers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Adult Literacy Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 82.2 | |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate ( % ages 15 and older) | 90.3 | |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | 123 | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (% ages 15-24) | .. | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | .. | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 89 | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.06 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolement Female Ratio (in %) | 28 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.54 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 3 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio Female to Male | 1.5 | |
| ^top | ||
| Estimated Female Earned Income( PPP US$) | 1848 | |
| Estimated Male Earned Income (PPP US $) | 3506 | |
| Ratio of Female to Male Estimated Earned Income | 0.53 | |
| Female Economic Activity Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 46.3 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( index, 1990=100, ages 15 and older) | 82 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( as % of male rates, ages 15 and older) | 64 | |
| Female Employment Agriculture (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment Agriculture (%) | .. | |
| Female Employment Industry (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment Industry (%) | .. | |
| Female Employment Services (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment in Services (%) | .. | |
| Women Contributing Family Workers (%) | .. | |
| Men Contributing Family Workers (%) | .. | |
| ^top | ||
| Seats in Parliament (Women as % of Total) | 17 | |
| Female Suffrage Granted (Year) | 1965 | |
| Elections Contesting Rights (Year) (A=Appointed, E=Elected) | 1965 | |
| Year of First Woman Elected | 1965 A | |
| Women Ministers (as % of total) | 27.8 | |
| Seats held in Lower/Single House by Women (as % of Total) | 11.7 | |
| Seats held in Upper House/Senate by Women (as % of Total) | 36.4 | |
| ^top | ||
Source : UNDP HDR 2006
Notes:
.. Data Not Available
a.Data refer to medium-variant projections.
* For Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Schools
