aj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho
Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] - the governing
party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho
Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or
MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony
MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe
PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE];
Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, The Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: [266] 22 312666
FAX: [266] 22 310116

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half
is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with
crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with
a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to
reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The garment industry has
grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade
benefits contained in th