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Often dubbed the Kingdom in the Sky, the tiny independent country of Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, but it has retained its own distinctive landscape and culture. The whole country lies above 3,300 ft/1,000 m—the only country in the world to do so—and the principle attraction is the terrific mountain scenery.

Lesotho (pronounced le-SOO-too) can be an appealing place for those who enjoy being outdoors. Pony trekking in the mountains is affordable and fairly easy to arrange and you can hike just about anywhere.

In the highlands, herd boys steer their flocks to the highest points of the mountains, which are covered by snow in winter, and Basotho cowboys ride across treeless plateaus wearing conical straw hats and serapelike blankets.

Conditions are less enjoyable in the capital city of Maseru, which holds little appeal other than as a convenient transit point.

Geography

Some 90% of the land consists of mountains 5,000-11,000 ft/1,525-3,350 m high, which are part of the Drakensberg or Maloti mountain ranges. The only plains or lowlands are in the westand and follow the southern banks of the Caledon River.

At 4,600 ft/1,400 m, the lowest point is where the Makhaleng and Orange rivers meet in the southwest on the border with South Africa, and it is the highest-elevation "lowest point" of any country. The highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana (11,420 ft/3,482 m) in the east, above Sani Pass.

History

The region now known as Lesotho has been inhabited by the Basotho people for at least 1,000 years. The Basotho, who originally lived as scattered tribes, were drawn together as a nation under King Moshoeshoe the Great in the early 1800s. At that time, both the white Boers and the black Zulus wanted the land that now makes up Lesotho, but the Basotho united and fiercely resisted invasion.

When it seemed they were going to be overwhelmed, Moshoeshoe turned to the British for help. The British repelled the invaders and then tried to annex the country for themselves. Moshoeshoe's army managed to keep the British out, but when another Boer army threatened again in the latter half of the century, he agreed to let the country become a British protectorate in exchange for safety from his hostile neighbors. King Moshoeshoe, Lesotho's national hero, died in 1870.

Independence came in 1966, under King Moshoeshoe II. Twenty years later, he was toppled by a military coup, which left the country in turmoil. The king was deposed and reinstated several times before he died in a car wreck in 1996. His son, King Letsie III, now heads the country, although his power is largely ceremonial.

Although the army allowed multiparty elections in 1993, it continually undermined the new government by sponsoring strikes and demonstrations. In the spring of 1994, the country's police force went on strike, which left the military in control of the larger cities.

The crisis reached a head in 1998 with somewhat tumultuous elections and massive looting and rioting in the capital and a few other large towns. An international peacekeeping force was called in to restore order. The troops have since left, a calmer round of elections was held in 2002 and again in 2007, and the government is functioning relatively smoothly.

The economy is weak, and most people rely on subsidence farming to earn a living. (Some two-thirds of the country's income comes from agriculture.) Lesotho also relies heavily on neighboring South Africa for employment, and many men from Lesotho work in South African mines for three to nine months out of the year.

Water is Lesotho's principle resource, and it is channeled to South Africa's thirsty Gauteng Province through the dams and underwater pipelines of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). This will also electrify most of Lesotho eventually, and the country will earn money from the sale of electricity to South Africa. The project started in the mid-1990s and it is expected to take 30 years to complete. Already it has improved infrastructure in the country, including roads and telecommunications.

Snapshot

Lesotho's main attractions are hiking, pony trekking, spectacular mountain scenery and friendly people.

The country is best seen on a stopover during a trip through South Africa, and there are no restrictions for foreign visitors entering Lesotho from South Africa. Outdoor-oriented travelers who like mountain scenery and horseback riding and who don't mind putting up with often simple accommodation and rugged conditions will love Lesotho. Others will probably find that their time is better spent in South Africa.

Potpourri

A white flag outside a rural hut indicates the owner sells sorghum beer, called joala. A yellow flag indicates the sale of beer made from barley, a green flag means vegetables and a red flag means meat.

Lesotho takes pride in the success of its Highlands Water Project. This project, one of the largest ever undertaken in Africa, delivers water from the Lesotho highlands to dry provinces in South Africa. The pipeline pumps 14,265 gal/54 cu m of water into South Africa every second.

More than 240 species of birds have been spotted in Lesotho.

Lesotho is famous for its fossils, as well as its prehistoric footprints. Moyeni, in southern Lesotho, is one of the best places to see these dinosaur footprints.

Lesotho national dress is a woolen blanket worn as a cape and pinned at one shoulder, and well-patched gum boots. These replaced animal hides in the late 1800s and are simply worn to keep one warm and dry. Many trading stores in Lesotho were built on selling these blankets, originally imported from the textile regions of the Midlands in England.

Basotho means "the Sotho people." Sesotho is the language spoken by the Basotho, while Lesotho means the "place of the Basotho."