Lesotho: Geography#
Location | Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa |
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Geographic Coordinates | 29 30 S, 28 30 E -29.5,28.5 |
Area | total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
Land boundaries | total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m |
Highest Mountains | According to Wolfram: Thabana Ntlenyana 3482 m According to Geonames:Thabana Ntlenyana 3482 m; Ntelle 2584 m List verified partially Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
Terrain | mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains |
Natural Hazards | periodic droughts |
Natural Resource | water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone |
Land Use | arable land: 10.14% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89.72% (2011) |
Climate | temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
Irrigated Land | 26.37 sq km (2003) |
Renewable Water Resources | 3.02 cu km (2011) |
Environment_CurrentIssues | 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Large Cities | Due to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Maseru; Mafeteng; Hlotse; Mohales Hoek; Maputsoa According to Geonames: Maseru; Mafeteng; Leribe; Maputsoe; Mohale’s Hoek Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Cities |
Geography-note | landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level |