Lesotho

Muso oa Lesotho Kingdom of Lesotho
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Khotso, Pula, Nala"  (Sesotho) "Peace, Rain, Prosperity"
Anthem: Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona
Capital	Maseru 29°18′S 27°28′E
Largest city	Maseru
Official languages	Sesotho, English
Government	Constitutional monarchy
- King	Letsie III
- Prime Minister	Pakalitha Mosisili
Independence
- from the United Kingdom	October 4, 1966
Area
- Total	30,355 km² (140th) 11,717 sq mi
- Water (%)	negligible
Population
- July 2005 estimate	1,795,0001 (146th)
- 2004 census	2,031,348
- Density	59 /km² (138th) 153 /sq mi
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
- Total	$4.996 billion (150th)
- Per capita	$2,113 (139th)
HDI (2003)	0.494 (low) (149th)
Currency	Loti (LSL)
Internet TLD	.ls
Calling code	+266
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.

Lesotho (pronounced ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a land-locked country, entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Formerly Basutoland, it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name Lesotho roughly translates into "the land of the people who speak Sotho."