| Geography | Lesotho |
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Location:
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Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa |
Geographic coordinates:
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29 30 S, 28 30 E |
Map references:
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Africa |
Area:
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total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
Land boundaries:
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total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km |
Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
Climate:
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temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
Terrain:
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mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m |
Natural resources:
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water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone |
Land use:
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arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources:
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5.2 cu km (1987) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
Per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts |
Environment - current issues:
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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:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Geography - note:
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landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level |
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