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Lesotho

✨ The kingdom in the sky

Lesotho is a small, landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa, completely surrounded by South Africa. Its capital and largest city is Maseru, situated in the western lowlands near the border. Covering about 30,355 square kilometres, the country is known for its high elevation: all of its territory lies above 1,000 metres above sea level, and much of it consists of mountains and plateaus.

The highest point is Thabana Ntlenyana, which reaches 3,482 metres in the eastern highlands. The Maloti Mountains form part of the country's rugged landscape and are connected to the Drakensberg range. Lesotho has a temperate climate, with generally warm, rainy summers and cool to cold, dry winters. Snow can occur in the highlands during winter.

Lesotho's rivers are an important natural resource, and its mountainous terrain provides water for both the country and neighbouring South Africa. The Senqu River, known as the Orange River in South Africa, is the country's main river. Agriculture remains important, particularly livestock raising and the cultivation of crops such as maize, wheat and sorghum, while textiles, tourism, manufacturing and water resources also contribute to the economy.

The people of Lesotho are known as Basotho, and Sesotho and English are the official languages. The country has a constitutional monarchy, with a king as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. Formerly known as Basutoland, it became independent from British rule on 4 October 1966 and adopted the name Kingdom of Lesotho.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that in Lesotho, there is a ski resort? It is incredible because we are in Africa! Since the country is very high up in the mountains, temperatures often drop below zero degrees in winter (from June to August). The inhabitants, called the Basotho, use small, very strong ponies to move through the snow and on steep trails. It is one of the few places on the continent where you can see a snowman!

The national hat of Lesotho is called the 'Mokorotlo.' It has a very special cone shape with a braided top. Did you know it was inspired by the shape of a sacred mountain in the country? The Basotho are so proud of it that they even drew it right in the middle of their national flag! You can find it everywhere, made of straw or fabric, and it is the symbol of the unity of all the people.

In Lesotho, dinosaur tracks millions of years old have been found! The country has one of the world's highest concentrations of dinosaur footprints. Some are so well preserved that you can still see the shape of the claws engraved in the stone. Scientists come from all over the world to study these giant steps proving that the 'Kingdom in the Sky' was once a land of dinosaurs.