Lesotho vs. South Africa
Geography
| Lesotho | South Africa | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa | Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa |
| Geographic coordinates | 29 30 S, 28 30 E | 29 00 S, 24 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km | total: 1,219,090 sq km land: 1,214,470 sq km water: 4,620 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,106 km border countries (1): South Africa 1106 km | total: 5,244 km border countries (6): Botswana 1969 km, Lesotho 1106 km, Mozambique 496 km, Namibia 1005 km, Eswatini 438 km, Zimbabwe 230 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 2,798 km |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin |
| Climate | temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers | mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Terrain | mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains | vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m mean elevation: 2,161 m | highest point: Ntheledi (Mafadi) 3,450 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,034 m |
| Natural resources | water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone | gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
| Land use | agricultural land: 76.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 65.9% (2018 est.) forest: 1.5% (2018 est.) other: 22.4% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 79.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 69.2% (2018 est.) forest: 7.6% (2018 est.) other: 13% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 30 sq km (2012) | 16,700 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | periodic droughts | prolonged droughts volcanism: the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano |
| 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 | lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; desertification; solid waste pollution; disruption of fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, 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 | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | landlocked, an enclave of (completely surrounded by) South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level | South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Eswatini |
| Total renewable water resources | 3.022 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 51.35 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru, and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people as shown in this population distribution map | the population concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densly populated than the west as shown in this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
