Lesotho
General Facts
Area: 30,355 km2 (11,720 sq miles)
Capital City: Maseru
Population: 2,203,821 (2016 estimate)
Official Languages: English, Sesotho
Boarding Countries: South Africa
Coastline: None
Currency: Lesotho Loti (LSL), South African Rand (ZAR)
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Climate
Temperatures vary widely from one geographical zone to another, and frequently within zones, depending on the altitude. In the lowlands, temperatures reach 32°c (90°f) or more in the summer and rarely fall below -7°c (19°f) in the winter. The range in the highlands is greater; temperatures sometimes fall below -18°c (0°f), and frost and hail are frequent hazards. Rainfall, which is mostly concentrated in the months from October to April, averages 71 cm (28 in) annually, varying from 191 cm (75 in) in parts of the mountains to as little as 60 cm (24 in) in the lowlands. Most of the rainwater is lost through runoff, and droughts are common.
Five Largest Cities/Towns:
1. Maseru (118,355)
2. Mafeteng (57,059)
3. Hlotse (47,675)
4. Maputsoe (32,117)
5. Mohale's Hoek (28,310)
