Maseru (Lesotho) (AFP) – US President Donald Trump in March ridiculed Lesotho as a place “nobody has ever heard of” and then this week hit the tiny African kingdom with the highest of his reciprocal trade tariffs for any single nation. Here are some things to know about the country sometimes called the Switzerland of Africa because of its mountainous landscape.
– ‘Kingdom in the sky’ – Completely surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is the largest of only three enclaved states in the world, far bigger than San Marino and the Vatican City, both of which are within Italy. At 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 square miles), it is about the same size as Belgium. Its population is roughly 2.3 million, compared to Belgium’s nearly 12 million. Lesotho is known for the beauty of its mountainous terrain and styles itself the “Kingdom in the Sky”. More than 80 percent of the country sits 1,800 metres (5,900 feet) above sea level and it is home to southern Africa’s only ski resort. The highest peak is Mount Thabana Ntlenyana, with an altitude of 3,482 metres. A constitutional monarchy, it is ruled by 61-year-old King Letsie III, who has no formal power. The government is led by a prime minister.
– Textile economy – With an annual gross domestic product of just over $2 billion, Lesotho is largely dependent on South Africa — its biggest trading partner — from which it imports most of its food, selling water in return. The economy is heavily reliant on textile exports bound for the United States through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade deal, which provides duty-free access to the US market for some African products. Its traditional Basotho blankets are a national symbol and renowned for their vibrant patterns and woollen warmth. They are often loaded with meaning, from celebrating life and nationality to fertility and royalty, peace, love, and courage. Lesotho ranks among the world’s poorest countries despite huge mineral reserves. British mine company Gem Diamonds said in 2018 it had discovered a 910-carat stone in one of its several Lesotho diamond mines. The country also pioneered the growing of cannabis for medical use in Africa. Unemployment has remained stubbornly high, hitting nearly 25 percent in 2023, according to the World Bank.
– Royal row – A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in Lesotho to help people living with HIV ran into turbulence this month after a bitter boardroom row led King Charles III’s younger son to step down as patron. Its Zimbabwe-born chairperson, Sophie Chandauka, publicly accused the prince of “bullying” and being involved in a “cover-up,” accusations the former royal has dismissed as lies. Harry founded the charity in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, before it expanded to Botswana. The name, Sentebale, is a tribute to his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 when he was just 12.
– HIV pandemic – At least one in four adults in Lesotho is infected with HIV, in one of the highest rates in the world. More than 230,000 people were receiving anti-retroviral treatment in 2021, according to the World Health Organization. In 2020, the country achieved the UN’s “90-90-90” goal of 90 percent of people with the virus being diagnosed, on treatment, and achieving viral suppression. The country also has the second-highest incidence of TB in the world, estimated at 724 cases per 100,000 people.
© 2024 AFP
