Lesotho is a small, mountainous kingdom in southern Africa with a unique geographic distinction: it is one of only a handful of countries completely surrounded by a single other nation, in its case South Africa, which encircles it entirely. Often called the Kingdom in the Sky, it is the highest country in the world by its lowest point, a rugged land of peaks and plateaus where snow falls in winter. Its people, the Basotho, have a proud history of forging and defending their nation in these highland fastnesses.
The Basotho nation was created in the early nineteenth century by the skilful and far-sighted king Moshoeshoe the First, who gathered together peoples scattered by the upheavals of the era and built a kingdom secure in the mountains, defending it against the Zulu and the encroaching Boers. To preserve his nation's independence, Moshoeshoe sought the protection of Britain, and the territory became the protectorate of Basutoland. Lesotho regained its full independence in 1966 as a constitutional monarchy.
Lesotho is extraordinarily mountainous, the only country in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres in elevation, and it has the highest low point of any nation. The dramatic Maloti and Drakensberg ranges dominate the land, with deep valleys, high plateaus, and peaks that catch snow in winter, allowing the country to have a ski resort, a rarity in Africa. This high, rugged terrain, the source of rivers that flow into South Africa, has shaped both the nation's history and its economy.
The flag of Lesotho has three horizontal bands of blue, white, and green, with a black mokorotlo, the distinctive conical Basotho straw hat, in the centre of the white band. The blue represents rain and the sky, so important in this land, the white peace, and the green prosperity and the land. The Basotho hat, a powerful national symbol worn across the country, was placed at the centre of the flag adopted in 2006 to represent the indigenous people and their culture.
Lesotho is a predominantly Christian country, the result of missionary activity that began in the time of Moshoeshoe, who invited missionaries to his kingdom. The majority belong to the Roman Catholic Church and to various Protestant churches. Traditional African beliefs, with their reverence for ancestors, also persist and are often held alongside Christianity. Religion plays a significant role in Basotho society, and churches have long been important institutions in education and community life.
Basotho cuisine is based on the staples of a highland farming country. The mainstay is papa, a thick maize porridge eaten with relishes of vegetables such as the wild spinach known as moroho, along with beans and, when available, meat. Sorghum is used to make a traditional fermented porridge and beer. The food is simple, hearty, and suited to a cold mountain climate, and is closely tied to the farming and herding that occupy most rural Basotho families.
Agriculture in Lesotho is constrained by the mountainous terrain, with only a small fraction of the land suitable for crops, mostly in the lower western lowlands, where maize, sorghum, and wheat are grown. Across the highlands, the herding of sheep, goats, and the hardy Basotho ponies is central, and wool and mohair are significant exports. The country's greatest natural resource, however, is its water: it sells water from its mountain rivers to South Africa, a vital source of national income often called white gold.
The founding of the Basotho nation by Moshoeshoe the First, and his diplomatic genius in securing British protection to preserve its independence, are the proudest chapters of the country's history. Lesotho regained its independence in 1966 and has remained a constitutional monarchy, though its modern politics have at times been turbulent, with periods of instability and military involvement. The great Lesotho Highlands Water Project, channelling its rivers to South Africa, has been a defining modern undertaking.
Lesotho has a population of around 2.3 million people, almost all of them Basotho, a people sharing a single language, Sesotho, alongside the official English, and a strong common identity, making the country one of the more homogeneous in Africa. The population is concentrated in the lower-lying western part of the country, including the capital, Maseru, on the South African border. A great many Basotho men have historically worked in the mines of South Africa, and the country has been heavily affected by the regional HIV epidemic.
