赖索托(Lesotho)

正式名称赖索托王国（Kingdom of Lesotho）

旧称巴苏图兰（Basutoland）

非洲南部独立王国，为南非共和国境内的一块飞地。面积30,355平方公里。人口约2,177,000（2001）。首都︰马塞鲁。赖索托人口几乎全是讲班图语的索托人。语言︰索托语、英语（均为官方语）、阿非利堪斯语、祖鲁语、科萨语和法语。宗教︰基督教（国教），包括天主教、赖索托福音教会、圣公会。货币︰洛蒂（loti, M）。全境约2/3地区为山地，最高点是恩特莱尼亚纳（Ntlenyana）山，海拔3,482公尺；西北偏中的马洛蒂（Maloti）山脉，是非洲两条最大河流－－图盖拉河、橘河－－的发源地。矿产资源不足。农业占用了2/3得劳动力，主要农产品为玉米、高粱和小麦。牲畜可供出口（牛、羊毛和马海毛）。工业有食品加工、纺织与服装，以及家俱。政府形式为共和国，两院制。国家元首为国王，政府首脑是总理。

约在16世纪，讲班图语的农民便开始在该地区定居，逐渐形成若干酋长领地。其中势力最大的在1824年建立起巴索托（Basotho）王国。1843年由於巴索托人与南非布尔人的关系日趋紧张，因而接受了英国的保护；1868年成为英国领地，1871年并入开普殖民地。1880年当殖民地政府试图解除巴索托人的武装时，导致暴动反抗；四年後，赖索托地区不再属於开普殖民地，而成为英国高级专员领地。1964年赖索托宣布独立，采行君主立宪制。1993年新宪法生效，结束了七年的军事统治。20世纪後期，赖索托遭受内部政治问题与经济衰退。

English version：

Lesotho

formerlyBasutolandIndependent kingdom, southern Africa, an enclave lying within the Republic of South Africa. Area: 11,720 sq mi (30,355 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 2,008,000. Capital: Maseru. Almost all of its population belong to the Sotho, a Bantu-speaking people. Languages: Sotho, English (both official), Africaans, Zulu, Xhosa, French. Religions: Christianity (official), including Roman Catholicism, Lesotho Evangelical Church, Anglicanism. Currency: loti. About two-thirds of Lesotho's total area is mountainous; its highest point is Mount Ntlenyana (11,424 ft, or 3,482 m). The Maloti Mountains in the central northwest are the source of two of South Africa's largest rivers, the Tugela and the Orange. It has scant mineral resources. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the workforce; its chief farm products are corn, sorghum, and wheat. Livestock provide exports (cattle, wool, and mohair). Industries include food processing, textiles and apparel, and furniture. It is a republic with two legislative houses; its chief of state is the king, and the head of government is the prime minister. Bantu-speaking farmers began to settle the area in the 16th century, and a number of chiefdoms arose. The most powerful organized the Basotho in 1824, and obtained British protection in 1843, as tension between the Basotho and the South African Boers increased. It became a British territory in 1868 and was annexed to the Cape Colony in 1871. The colony's effort to disarm the Basotho resulted in revolt in 1880, and four years later it separated from the colony and became a British High Commission Territory. In 1964 it declared its independence as a constitutional monarchy. A new constitution, effective 1993, ended seven years of military rule. In the late 20th century, Lesotho suffered from internal political problems and a deteriorating economy.