LCD 61%; seats by
party--LCD 79, BCP 1
note: results contested; LCD, with only 61% of the vote, won 79 out
of 80 parliamentary seats based on a historical political consensus
for a "winner take all" formula

Judicial branch: High Court, chief justice appointed by the
monarch; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or
traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
MOSISILI, leader; Shakhane MOKHEHLE, secretary general]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Eunice M. BULANE
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. PETERSON
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a
large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a
diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

Economy

Economy--overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's
only important natural resource is water. Its economy is based on
subsistence agriculture, livestock, and remittances from miners
employed in South Africa. The number of such mine workers has
declined steadily over the past several years. In 1996 their
remittances added about 33% to GDP compared with the addition of
roughly 67% in 1990. A small manufacturing base depends largely on
farm products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute
industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South
Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with
South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although
drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years,
completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now
permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties that
will be an important source of income for Lesotho. The pace of
parastatal privatization has increased in recent years. Civil
disorde