| Kingdom of Lesotho Muso oa Lesotho |
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Motto: "Khotso, Pula, Nala" (Sesotho)
"Peace, Rain, Prosperity" |
Anthem: Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona
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Capital
(and largest city) | Maseru
29°28′S27°56′E / 29.467°S 27.933°E / -29.467; 27.933 |
| Official language(s) | Sesotho, English |
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| Demonym | Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) |
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| Government | Parliamentaryconstitutional monarchy |
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| - | King | Letsie III |
| - | Prime Minister | Pakalitha Mosisili |
| Independence |
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| - | from the United Kingdom | October 4, 1966 |
| Area |
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| - | Total | 30,355 km2 (140th)
12,727 sq mi |
| - | Water (%) | negligible |
| Population |
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| - | 2009 estimate | 2,067,000[1] (146th) |
| - | 2004 census | 2,031,348 |
| - | Density | 68.1/km2 (138th)
162.4/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) | 2009 estimate |
| - | Total | $2.518 billion[2] |
| - | Per capita | $1,218[2] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2009 estimate |
| - | Total | $1.327 billion[2] |
| - | Per capita | $642[2] |
| Gini (1995) | 63.2 (high) |
| HDI (2007) |  0.514[3] (medium) (156th) |
| Currency | Lesotho loti/Loti (LSL) |
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| Time zone | (UTC+2) |
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| Drives on the | left |
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| ISO 3166 code | LS |
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| Internet TLD | .ls |
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| Calling code | +266 |
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| 1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. |
