ÿþ<html> <head> <title> Lesotho Government 2012, CIA World Factbook </title> <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Lesotho Government 2012, CIA World Factbook"> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="Lesotho, Government, 2012, CIA, World, Factbook"> <script language="JavaScript"> function AddToFaves_hp(){ var is_4up = parseInt(navigator.appVersion); var is_mac = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("mac")!=-1; var is_ie = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("msie")!=-1; var thePage = location.href; if (thePage.lastIndexOf('#')!=-1) thePage = thePage.substring(0,thePage.lastIndexOf('#')); if (is_ie && is_4up && !is_mac) window.external.AddFavorite(thePage,document.title); else if (is_ie || document.images) booker_hp = window.open(thePage,'booker_','menubar,width=325,height=100,left=140,top=60'); //booker_hp.focus(); } //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; 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/* WFB Large Rectangle */ google_ad_slot = "8137512903"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <br> Page last updated on February 23, <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#country_name">Country name:</a></b><br> <i>conventional long form:</i> Kingdom of Lesotho <br><i>conventional short form:</i> Lesotho <br><i>local long form:</i> Kingdom of Lesotho <br><i>local short form:</i> Lesotho <br><i>former:</i> Basutoland <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#government_type">Government type:</a></b><br> parliamentary constitutional monarchy <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#capital">Capital:</a></b><br> <i>name:</i> Maseru <br><i>geographic coordinates:</i> 29 19 S, 27 29 E <br><i>time difference:</i> UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#administrative_divisions">Administrative divisions:</a></b><br> 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#independence">Independence:</a></b><br> 4 October 1966 (from the UK) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_holiday">National holiday:</a></b><br> Independence Day, 4 October (1966) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#constitution">Constitution:</a></b><br> 2 April 1993 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#legal_system">Legal system:</a></b><br> mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#international_law_organization_participation">International law organization participation:</a></b><br> accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#suffrage">Suffrage:</a></b><br> 18 years of age; universal <br>[see also: <a href="http://www.photius.com/rankings/population/suffrage_2012_0.html" target="_blank"><u>Suffrage country ranks</u></a> ] <p><b><a href = "lesotho_chiefs.html">Executive branch</a>:</b><br> <i>chief of state:</i> King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile <br><i>head of government:</i> Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) <br><i>cabinet:</i> Cabinet <br><i>elections:</i> according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarchy is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#legislative_branch">Legislative branch:</a></b><br> bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) <br><i>elections:</i> last held on 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) <br><i>election results:</i> percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#judicial_branch">Judicial branch:</a></b><br> High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#political_parties_and_leaders">Political parties and leaders:</a></b><br> Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP (including the Lesotho People's Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]); All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP; Basotho Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [vacant]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC; Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI] <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#political_pressure_groups_and_leaders">Political pressure groups and leaders:</a></b><br> Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/abbreviations.html">International organization participation</a>:</b><br> ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#diplomatic_representation_in_the_us">Diplomatic representation in the US:</a></b><br> <i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE <br><i>chancery:</i> 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 <br><i>telephone:</i> [1] (202) 797-5533 <br><i>FAX:</i> [1] (202) 234-6815 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#diplomatic_representation_from_the_us">Diplomatic representation from the US:</a></b><br> <i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Michele T. BOND <br><i>embassy:</i> 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) <br><i>mailing address:</i> P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho <br><i>telephone:</i> [266] 22 312666 <br><i>FAX:</i> [266] 22 310116 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/flags/">Flag</a> description:</b><br> three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_symbol">National symbol(s):</a></b><br> Basotho hat <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_anthem">National anthem:</a></b><br> <i>name:</i> "Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers) <br><i>lyrics/music:</i> Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR <br><i> <em>note:</em></i> adopted 1967; the anthem's music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook </font> <p> <p> <BR> <P> <font size = "-2"><B> NOTE: The information regarding Lesotho on this page is re-published from the 2012 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lesotho Government 2012 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lesotho Government 2012 should be addressed to the CIA. </B></font> </P> <br> <hr> <a href="#" onClick="AddToFaves_hp()"><img src="http://www.theodora.com/images/bookmark_banner.gif" align="left" width="176" height="52" border="0"></a><font color=brown> - Please bookmark this page (add it to your favorites). <br> - If you wish to <b>link</b> to this page, you can do so by referring to the URL address below this line.</font> <hr> http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/lesotho/lesotho_government.html <br><br> This page was last modified 06-Mar-12 <br> Copyright &copy 1995-2012 <a href="http://www.theodora.com/ita.html">ITA</a> all rights reserved. <br> </td> <td width=200 valign="top" align="left" background="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/light_blue.gif"> <!-- SiteSearch Google --> <br> <form action="http://www.google.com/cse" id="cse-search-box"> <div> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-7437757543052749:i8v5yg-obf2" /> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="text" name="q" size="26" /> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /> </div> </form> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/cse/brand?form=cse-search-box&lang=en"></script> <!-- End SiteSearch Google --> <font size="2" face="arial"> <b> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb">|Main INDEX|</a> <li><a href="../index.html">2012 INDEX</a> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/rankings/index.html">Country Ranks</a> <li><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html">DEFINITIONS</a> <br><br> <a href="index.html">Lesotho Index 2012</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/lesotho/index.html">Lesotho Main Index</a> <li><a href="lesotho_introduction.html">Introduction</a> <li><a href="http://workmall.com/wfb2001/lesotho/lesotho_history.html">History</a> <li><a href="lesotho_geography.html">Geography</a> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theodora.com/maps">Maps</a><br> <li><a href="lesotho_people.html">People</a><br> </b> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.photius.com/religion">Religion</a> <b><li><a href="lesotho_government.html">Government</a><br></B> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="lesotho_chiefs.html"> Gov. 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