In the middle of southern Africa, lies the small mountainous country of Lesotho. Lesotho is not only landlocked, but completely surrounded by another country -- South Africa.
Lesotho is the only country in the world that lies entirely above 1000 meters (3281 feet) in elevation. The lowest point in the country is over 4500 feet – the highest low point of any country! Over 75% of the country is mountains and accordingly, the country is rich in natural beauty!
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| Maletsunyane Falls -- the Highest Falls in Southern Africa |
Lesotho has a population of just over 2 million with 75% of the population being rural. Wool and mohair are major exports in Lesotho and the mountainous countryside is peppered with sheep and goats being tended by shepherds.
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| Look closely -- all those white dots are animals! |
The hillsides are also full of traditional stone homes –built by hand by each family.
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| Many Homes Have a Corral to Keep the Livestock at Night |
The Basotho people make up 99.7% of the population and one language, Sesotho, is spoken throughout the country. (English is also an official language and is used in government and commerce) I believe that this cultural uniformity has saved Lesotho from many of the tribal disagreements that plague other African nations.
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| Traditional Lesotho Bread is Baked Over Hot Coals in an Iron Pot |
Impressively, the literacy rate in Lesotho is 85% – one of the highest literacy rates in Africa. Lesotho spends over 12% of their GDP on education. Despite the high educational level of the population, 40% of the population lives below the poverty line making less than $1.25 per day.
As such, cars are not common in Lesotho (many of the roads aren’t car friendly) outside of the big cities. The main form of transport (apart from foot power) is on horseback. Lesotho is an equestrian country. Many villages have no roads nearby but are full of bridle paths criss-crossing the area.
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| The "Parking Lot" in the Village of Semonkong |
Interestingly, due to the high elevation of the country, snowfall can be counted upon consistently in the winter. Accordingly, Lesotho is home to the only ski resort in Africa!
Lesotho has been called the "African Switzerland." However, despite the mountainous landscape, Lesotho remains purely African.
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| How do they do this? These buckets are full of water and none ever spills! |
I really enjoyed my time in Lesotho – both for the natural beauty and for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people and to see such a different side of Africa.
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