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9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

2025-03-07 19:42:22Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

 

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"
Lesotho

 

In his first speech since returning to the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump "shocked" the government of Lesotho, a country in Africa, by saying that "nobody has ever heard of it."

"$8 million to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which no one has heard of," Trump said, drawing laughter.

A spokesman for Lesotho's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the BBC that the country had "warm and friendly" relations with the US. This statement came as a shock to the government.

Lesotho is one of the largest beneficiaries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which facilitates trade between several countries to help boost economic trade. According to the US government, the two countries exchanged $240 million worth of goods in 2024, mostly exports of textiles and clothing from Lesotho to the US.

"The country no one has heard of" is a small country in the southern region of the hot continent that generally has only mountains and is surrounded by South Africa.

"Kingdom in heaven"

The Kingdom of Lesotho has a mountainous terrain, with villages accessible only by horse, foot or air. It is called the “kingdom in the sky” and is the only independent country in the world located entirely above 1000 meters. Its lowest point is 1400 meters. It has one of the most formidable platforms for aircraft, Matekane is just a small runway with ravines on both sides.

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

Completely surrounded by South Africa

Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa, but separated from it by high mountain ranges. Only a small amount of land can be used for agriculture, the population suffers from food shortages and relies on income from jobs in South Africa. The population is more than 2 million and has cultural and linguistic similarities to South Africans. Their language, Sesotho, is one of the 11 official languages ​​of South Africa. In fact, it is spoken by 4.6 million people there, marking a higher number than in Lesotho.

White gold

Natural resources are scarce in Lesotho due to the difficult terrain and limited agricultural space. The largest natural resource is water, which is called white gold and exported to South Africa. Diamonds also make up a large part of exports.

The largest ski resort

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

When you think of winter sports, you immediately imagine the European Alps. But Lesotho is known for its snow sports because it has one of the highest resorts in sub-Saharan Africa. Afriski is located 3,222 meters above sea level, in the Maloti Mountains, and attracts visitors from Africa and beyond.

The locals are called Basotho.

The natives of Lesotho are called Basotho. Some of the cultural objects associated with them are blankets and conical hats called mokorotlo. The hat is a national symbol and is also found on the flag. The blankets are made of thick wool, with colorful patterns that depict events from the country's history. The Basotho people wear them as scarves on special occasions and give them as gifts.

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

HIV

Lesotho has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, with 1 in 5 adults diagnosed with the virus. The U.S. government has provided nearly $1 billion since 2006 to the country to fund HIV prevention, care, and treatment.

Prince Harry has charitable connections

Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy like the United Kingdom. Prince Seeiso, the younger brother of King Letsie III, is a close friend of Prince Harry. They have founded a charity called Sentebale (Forget Me Not) which works with local communities to help young people infected with HIV/AIDS. Prince Harry first visited the country at the age of 19.

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

Exports jeans

Jeans are often associated with the American West, but many of them come from the other side of the world, Lesotho. The country's factories have produced jeans for well-known brands such as Levi's and Wrangler, earning it the nickname "the denim capital of Africa." Lesotho is also one of the largest sub-Saharan African exporters of clothing to the United States. Many of the garment and textile factories are owned by immigrants from China and Taiwan.

9 curiosities about Lesotho, the country "that no one has heard of"

Highest number of suicides

The mountain kingdom has the highest suicide rate in the world. Out of 100,000 people, 87.5 commit suicide each year. That's 10 times the global average and double the national average. Guyana comes in second with 40 suicides a year. There's no single reason, but experts say it has to do with drug and alcohol abuse, a lack of jobs and a lack of mental health counseling.

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