o
conventional short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland

Data code: LT

Government type: modified constitutional monarchy

National capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe,
Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing,
Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution: 2 April 1993

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law;
judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state : King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996, succeeded to
the throne following the death of his father, King MOSHOESHOE II, on
16 January 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne
(November 1990 to February 1995) while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch, but, under the
terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993
election, he has no executive or legislative powers; moreover, under
traditional law the king can be elected or deposed by a majority vote
of the College of Chiefs; following legislative elections, the leader
of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33
members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the
ruling party) and the Assembly (65 seats; members elected for a
five-year term by popular vote)
elections: last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held by March 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BCP
65

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;
customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party or BNP
[Evaristus SEKHONYANA]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsu
MOKHEHLE]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; United
Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic re