Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned officers (2009)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 469,509
[see also: Manpower available for military service - males age 16-49 country ranks ]
females age 16-49: 505,707 (2010 est.)
[see also: Manpower available for military service - females age 16-49 country ranks ]

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 267,825
[see also: Manpower fit for military service - males age 16-49 country ranks ]
females age 16-49: 273,348 (2010 est.)
[see also: Manpower fit for military service - females age 16-49 country ranks ]

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
male: 19,435
[see also: Manpower reaching military service age annually - male country ranks ]
female: 20,400 (2010 est.)
[see also: Manpower reaching military service age annually - female country ranks ]

Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 55
[see also: Military expenditures country ranks ]

Military - note:
Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008)