Lesotho Geography Profile 2009

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries

total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Land use

arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

5.2 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level