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→Demography of Lesotho
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==Demography of Lesotho== | ==Demography of Lesotho== | ||
''The People'''' | |||
*Ethnic groups | |||
The Sotho (also known as Basotho) form the overwhelming majority of the country’s population. They were originally united by a common loyalty to the royal house of Moshoeshoe I, who founded the Sotho nation in the 19th century. Internally, divisions between different chiefdoms—and within the royal lineage itself—have had political significance, but externally a sense of Sotho nationhood and cultural unity remains strong. Lesotho is also home to a Zulu minority, a small population of Asian or mixed ancestry, and a European community that is dominated by expatriate teachers, missionaries, aid workers, technicians, and development advisers. | |||
*Languages | |||
Except for English, all the main languages spoken in Lesotho are members of the Niger-Congo language family. Sotho (Sesotho), a Bantu language, is spoken by the majority of the population, though both Sotho and English are official languages in the country. Zulu is spoken by a small but significant minority. Phuthi, a dialect of Swati, and Xhosa are also spoken in parts of Lesotho. | |||
*Religion | |||
Some four-fifths of the population profess Christianity, of which the largest denomination is Roman Catholic; other denominations include Lesotho Evangelical, Presbyterian, and Anglican. Independent churches are also present, together with Zionist sects (small African sects that blend Pentecostal Christianity and indigenous ritual belief). Other religions—including Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—are practiced by small percentages of the population, as are traditional religions. Some adherents of Christianity also embrace traditional religious beliefs. | |||
*Settlement patterns | |||
The population density of Lesotho is high for an African state, despite the thinly settled areas of mountainous terrain. A large proportion of the population lives in the western lowlands, which have a much higher population density than the rest of the country as a whole: almost three-fourths of the population lives in the narrow corridor, only 25 miles (40 km) in width, that stretches along the Caledon River. Although not permanently inhabited, the mountain grasslands on the slopes of the high plateau and in the valleys provide summer grazing for sheep and cattle, tended by herders in isolated cattle posts. Some of the deep valleys, such as the Senqunyane, produce crops of wheat, peas, and beans. | |||
Since independence in 1966, there has been considerable population movement toward the capital city, Maseru. While Maseru is the largest city by far, smaller urban populations inhabit Maputsoe, Teyateyaneng, Mafeteng, and Hlotse. However, about three-fourths of the population is rural. | |||
Families and clans still cluster together as units in the numerous small rural villages, where social cohesion is strengthened by the persistence of clan and family loyalties. The villages range in size from one large family to four or five extended families, with an average of 30 to 50 nuclear families. The villages, situated on the plains and surrounded by aloes and trees, offer fine views of the rocky highlands. | |||
*Demographic trends | |||
Lesotho’s population is growing at a slower rate than that of most other African countries as well as the world. Although the country’s birth rate is slightly above the world average, the population growth is limited by infant mortality and death rates that are well above the world average and largely due to the prevalence of AIDS. Lesotho’s population is relatively young, with more than three-fifths of the population below age 29. Life expectancy in Lesotho is below the average for Africa and ranks among the lowest in the world but is similar to that of other countries in Southern Africa. | |||
Lesotho is affected by both temporary and permanent emigration, often in conjunction with employment opportunities. In the mid-1990s, for example, about one-fourth of all working males were employed in South Africa; by the early 2000s, though, the number had declined to about one-fifth. A small number of these migrant workers, who were resident in South Africa before 1996 and who voted in the 1994 South African elections, became eligible for permanent residency status in South Africa. | |||
==Economy of Lesotho== | ==Economy of Lesotho== | ||
==Government and Society of Lesotho== | ==Government and Society of Lesotho== | ||