AFRICA
Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution
Lesotho
Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution
Population
2.1 million
Exchange Rate
1 USD = 16.55 LSL
Advisory
Level 2
GDP/Capita
$972
Health Alerts
0
Last Updated
Apr 27, 2026
About LesothoOverview, geography, and key facts
Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclaves in the world, the others being San Marino and Vatican City, which are surrounded by Italy. Lesotho is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest peak in Southern Africa. It has an area of over 30,000 km2 (11,600 mi2) and has a population of about 2.3 million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
Capital
Maseru
Population
2.1 million
Area
30,355 km²
Languages
English, Sotho
Currency
Lesotho loti (LSL)
GDP/Capita
$972
Travel AdvisoryU.S. Department of State
Gov Data
Exercise increased caution due to heightened risks to safety and security.
Currency & Economy
- Currency
- Lesotho loti (LSL)
- Exchange Rate
- 1 USD = 16.55 LSL
- GDP
- $2.3B
- GDP per Capita
- $972
Visa Fee Estimate
$185 USD
3,061 LSL
Based on current Treasury exchange rate
Development
- Life Expectancy
- 57.4 years
Geography & Practical Details
- Region
- Africa
- Capital
- Maseru
- Area
- 30,355 km²
- Population
- 2,116,427
- Timezone
- UTC+02:00
- Languages
- English, Sotho
- Calling Code
- +266
- Drives On
- Left
- ISO Code
- LS