Lesotho
Maseru · Southern Africa
Lesotho is a country in Africa. Its capital city is Maseru, the official currency is the Loti, and the main language is Sesotho.
With a population of roughly 2.3 million people spread over 30,355 km², Lesotho is the 144th most populous country in the world and the 137th largest by area. That works out at about 76 people per square kilometre.
Lesotho shares land borders with South Africa — its only land neighbour. Its largest urban centres are Maseru, Teyateyaneng and Mafeteng. The highest point in the country is Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,482 metres.
For scale, it covers almost exactly the same area as Belgium, while its population is closest to that of Gabon.
- Capital
- Maseru
- Region
- Southern Africa
- Population
- 2,300,000
- Area
- 30,355 km²
- Currency
- Loti
- Main language
- Sesotho
- Highest point
- Thabana Ntlenyana
3,482 m - Land borders
- 1
Lesotho: things worth knowing
- Lesotho is one of only three countries entirely surrounded by a single other country.
- It is the only country in the world with all its land above 1,000 metres.
- It exports water to South Africa through the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
Lesotho in context
Africa has 54 sovereign countries in total. Lesotho ranks 45th among them by population.
See the full list of Africa countries, or browse all 195 countries.