Capital

Lesotho

name: Maseru

geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: in the Sesotho language the name means "[place of] red sandstones"

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

name: Vientiane (Viangchan)

geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the meaning in Pali, a Buddhist liturgical language, is "city of sandalwood"

Citizenship

Lesotho

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Legal system

Lesotho

mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

civil law system similar in form to the French system

Suffrage

Lesotho

18 years of age; universal

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

18 years of age; universal

Area

Lesotho

total: 30,355 sq km

land: 30,355 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 236,800 sq km

land: 230,800 sq km

water: 6,000 sq km

Land use

Lesotho

agricultural land: 76.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 65.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 1.5% (2018 est.)

other: 22.4% (2018 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 67.9% (2018 est.)

other: 21.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Lesotho

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Age structure

Lesotho

0-14 years: 32.4% (male 360,327/female 355,863)

15-64 years: 62.21% (male 688,373/female 686,911)

65 years and over: 5.39% (2023 est.) (male 44,313/female 74,859)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

0-14 years: 30.63% (male 1,218,731/female 1,186,156)

15-64 years: 64.73% (male 2,527,643/female 2,555,029)

65 years and over: 4.65% (2023 est.) (male 169,142/female 195,676)

Birth rate

Lesotho

23 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

20.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Lesotho

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Lesotho

Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages

major-language sample(s):
ແຫລ່ງທີ່ຂາດບໍ່ໄດ້ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນຕົ້ນຕໍ່” (Lao)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Lesotho

total population: 59.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 57.9 years

female: 62 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total population: 68.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 67 years

female: 70.3 years

Major urban areas - population

Lesotho

202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

721,000 VIENTIANE (capital) (2023)

Median age

Lesotho

total: 23.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 23.2 years

female: 24.2 years

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 25 years (2023 est.)

male: 24.6 years

female: 25.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Lesotho

20.9 years (2014 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Lesotho

-4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Lesotho

relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru, and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people as shown in this population distribution map

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

Population growth rate

Lesotho

0.76% (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

1.3% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Lesotho

2.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

2.3 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Lesotho

urban population: 30.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

urban population: 38.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Lesotho

8.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Lesotho

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2017)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 10 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Lesotho

-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Lesotho

8.52% (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

7.61% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Lesotho

955,600 (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

3.915 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Lesotho

49.7% (2017 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

18.3% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Lesotho

24.6% (2021 est.)

24.56% (2020 est.)

22.44% (2019 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

1.26% (2021 est.)

1.03% (2020 est.)

0.85% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Lesotho

33.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

36.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

63.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

58.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Lesotho

6.05% (2021 est.)

4.98% (2020 est.)

5.19% (2019 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

3.76% (2021 est.)

5.1% (2020 est.)

3.32% (2019 est.)

Exports

Lesotho

$1.08 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$902.123 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.093 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

$7.82 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$6.461 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$6.985 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Lesotho

United States 29%, Belgium 26%, South Africa 25%, Switzerland 6% (2019)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Thailand 33%, China 27%, Vietnam 13%, Australia 8%, Switzerland 3% (2021)

Imports

Lesotho

$2.221 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.98 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.23 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

$6.527 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.816 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.518 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Lesotho

South Africa 85%, China 5% (2019)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Thailand 53%, China 26%, Vietnam 10% (2019)

Airports

Lesotho

24 (2021)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

41 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Lesotho

total: 5,060 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.2 (2020 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 128,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Lesotho

total: 1.104 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 48% (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 4.588 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 62% (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 422 km (2023)

standard gauge: 422 km (2023) 1.435-m gauge (422 km overhead electrification)

Roadways

Lesotho

total: 5,940 km (2011)

paved: 1,069 km (2011)

unpaved: 4,871 km (2011)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total: 39,586 km (2009)

paved: 5,415 km (2009)

unpaved: 34,171 km (2009)

Telephones - fixed lines

Lesotho

total subscriptions: 9,559 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total subscriptions: 1,300,195 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Lesotho

total subscriptions: 1,821,374 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 80 (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

total subscriptions: 4,822,973 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2021 est.)

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

4,600 km (2012) (primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m)

Disputes - international

Lesotho

Lesotho-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

 

Demokratische Volksrepublik Laos

Laos-Burma: none identified

Laos-Cambodia: in 2021, the two countries agreed to increase efforts to combat drug trafficking and other transnational crimes and to complete the last 14% of their border demarcation

Laos-Cambodia-Vietnam: Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction and the potential harm it poses to fisheries and farming downstream

Laos-China: concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels, sediment flows, and fisheries

Laos-Thailand: talks continue as of 2018 on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River

Laos-Vietnam: Laos and Vietnam completed border demarcation in 2016