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Lesotho Geography 2013
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/lesotho/lesotho_geography.html
SOURCE: 2013 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES
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Page last updated on February 5, 2013

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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 142
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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
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%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (1987)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
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


NOTE: The information regarding Lesotho on this page is re-published from the 2013 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lesotho Geography 2013 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lesotho Geography 2013 should be addressed to the CIA.


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This page was last modified 22-Mar-13
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