Geography of Lesotho
Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total:
30,355 km²
land:
30,355 km²
water:
0 km²
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total:
909 km
border countries:
South Africa 909 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point:
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Land use:
arable land:
10.71%
permanent crops:
0%
Other:
89.29% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
10 km² (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
landlocked; surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level; only country in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 meters
- See also : Lesotho
Referenced By
ISO 3166-1:LS | Lesotho
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