Lesotho
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Country
names & abbreviations |
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Country name
short: Lesotho
Country name long: Kingdom of Lesotho
Local name short:
Local name long:
Former name: Basutoland
Abbrevation:
Olympia: LES
ISO_numerisch: 426
3er Codierung: LSO
2er Codierung: LS
CIA-Kuerzel: LT
Internet id: .ls
Vorwahl: +266
Nationality plate: LS
Dependency Status: independant
Dependant Areas:
Independence: 4 October 1966 (from the UK)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
Nationality adjective: Basotho
Capital: Maseru
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Background |
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to dispute how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly.
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Flag |
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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 |
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International
disputes |
none
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