Long-form name: Kingdom of Lesotho

Type: constitutional monarchy under King Moshoeshoe II; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qachas Nek, Quthing, Teyateyaneng, Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK; formerly Basutoland)

Constitution: 4 October 1966, suspended January 1970

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Branches: executive and legislative authority nominally vested in King; real power rests with six-man Military Council, established after military coup January 1986; 20-member Council of Ministers responsible for administrative duties; judicial--63 Lesotho courts administer customary law for Africans, High Court and subordinate courts have criminal jurisdiction over all residents, Court of Appeal at Maseru has appellate jurisdiction

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--King MOSHOESHOE II (Paramount Chief in 1960 until independence on 4 October 1966, when he became King); @m5Head of Government--Chairman of the Military Council Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA (since 24 January 1986)

Suffrage: universal for adults

Elections: election scheduled for September 1985 was boycotted by all opposition parties because of procedural irregularities; ruling BNP won all 60 parliamentary seats by default; municipal election for Maseru scheduled for March 1989

Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP), position vacant; Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu Mokhehle; Basotho Democratic Alliance (BDA), A. S. Nqojane; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. Manyeli; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), S. H. Mapheleba; United Democratic Party, C. D. Mofeli

Voting strength: National Assembly inoperative as of 20 January 1986

Communists: no information

Member of: AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador W. T. VAN TONDER; Chancery at 2511 Massachusettes Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-5534; US--Ambassador Robert M. SMALLEY; Embassy at address NA, Maseru (mailing address is P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100); telephone �266� 312666

Flag: 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

NOTE: The information regarding Lesotho on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lesotho Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lesotho Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.