In 2002, Lesotho was a small country located in southern Africa. It had an area of 30,355 square kilometers and a population of around 2 million people. According to computerannals, the capital of Lesotho was Maseru and its official language was Sesotho. The landscape in Lesotho featured mountainous terrain and valleys which were surrounded by South Africa on all sides. The climate in Lesotho was mostly temperate with hot summers and cool winters. Natural resources included diamonds, sand, clay and some gold deposits. The economy in Lesotho relied heavily on its agricultural sector which accounted for 40% of GDP as well as supplying over 50% of export revenues and government income. Furthermore Lesotho also had a vibrant textile industry due to its unique culture and favorable tax rates for foreign investors which made it attractive for businesses to manufacture clothing or other products there. In 2002 there were still many challenges facing Lesotho; poverty levels remained high due to a lack of economic diversification away from agriculture exports and low wages for workers in other industries such as manufacturing or services. Furthermore corruption remained a problem which hindered economic development. However despite these issues in 2002 Lesotho had made significant progress since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966; it had established a constitutional monarchy with free elections and had joined international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU).

Yearbook 2002

Lesotho. General elections were held in May. An unstable situation had prevailed in Lesotho since 1998, when protests against alleged electoral fraud led to a revolt that was defeated by South African soldiers. A new electoral system, with a combination of direct and proportional elections, would now give the smaller parties increased opportunities. The ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy received 77 seats and the largest opposition party, Basotho National Party 21. Foreign observers approved the election, but the opposition considered that there was cheating. However, everyone took their seats when Parliament was opened.

According to Countryaah website, national day of Lesotho is every October 4. Masupha Sole, former CEO of Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for receiving bribes from foreign construction companies in connection with a giant irrigation project, largely funded by the World Bank.

Canadian Acres International was fined about SEK 20 million. for bribing Sole. The case was considered to have pioneered the often unethical behavior of Western big companies in the “Third World”. Swedish-Swiss ABB is one of the many other companies that risk prosecution. Companies that fall down risk being excluded from future projects under the auspices of the World Bank.

Lesotho Country Overview

Visa
Finnish citizens do not need a visa when traveling to Lesotho if the trip lasts less than 14 days. NOTE. The passport must be valid for 6 months from arrival in the country.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, LSO stands for Lesotho.

Insurance
Every person participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Vaccinations
Check that your basic vaccinations are valid (tetanus, polio and diphtheria). Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended for the trip.

If you arrive in Lesotho from a yellow fever area, you must present an international vaccination card for yellow fever vaccination. According to the World Health Organization, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection against yellow fever. However, to avoid possible ambiguity, we recommend that a medical certificate in English be sought for a yellow fever vaccination certificate that is more than 10 years old, stating that vaccination provides lifelong protection.

When traveling to Lesotho from a destination outside the yellow fever area, no vaccination certificate is required. However, there may be unexpected changes in flight routes that may also affect vaccination requirements. Due to such situations, we recommend that you always carry a valid vaccination certificate with you.

Always check the vaccination requirements at the health center or the Vaccination Advice of the Tourist Clinic

Climate
Lesotho’s climate is quite mild compared to the rest of Africa. In winter it is frosty and it even rains snow. Summers are warm, but rarely hot.

Travel
Seasons The best time to travel to Lesotho is from February to October. Then it will rain the least in the whole country and the air temperature will average 25 degrees.

The currency of
Lesotho is the Lesotho Loti (LSL), the plural maloti. The South African rand is also used as a means of payment.

Electric current
Lesotho has an electric current of 220 V (50Hz). An adapter is required for Finnish devices.

Mobile phones
Check with your operator for the coverage of your mobile phone. The area code for Lesotho is +266.

The time difference in
Lesotho is the same as in Finland in winter, in summer the time difference is -1 hour.