The Kingdom of Lesotho (Lesotho) is a sovereign democratic kingdom. It has adopted separation of powers between the executive, led by the Prime Minister, the legislature (comprised of the National Assembly and the Senate) and the judiciary. Lesotho has a King who largely serves a ceremonial function.

Legislation in Lesotho is required to be passed by both the National Assembly, which is where it will originate, and the Senate. Thereafter, it may be assented to by the King. Once the King has assented, the bill becomes law and he must cause the bill to be published in the government gazette as a law. The bill assented to will come into operation on the date of publication. The High Court of Lesotho has the power to declare legislation invalid; this includes fiscal legislation. 

Lesotho lies in southern Africa, surrounded entirely by South Africa, covering an area of 30,000 square kilometers with a population of approximately 2 million.

The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming and migrant labor, with a large portion of the adult male workforce employed in South African mines. Unemployment remains high and is one of the most serious problems facing Lesotho, aggravating severe poverty.

Real GDP grew by an estimated 1.1% in 2018. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years, which, according to the Minister of Finance, contributed 5.7% to the GDP in 2018. Lesotho is also one of the top-ranked diamond producers in the world based on its average US Dollar per carat value. Inflation was measured at 4.75% in 2018. 

Download the Lesotho Tear Sheet