Lesotho, Her Land and Her People Quiz

Answer: Basutoland

Various Bantu-speaking peoples settled the area now known as Lesotho long before the Europeans colonized Africa. They called themselves the Basotho and were united under King Moshoeshoe I in 1822 amid exploration by the Dutch and British. When Boers settled in Basotho lands after the British pulled out, the Basotho lost much of their land in a series of wars. King Moshoshoe appealed to Queen Victoria, who made Basutoland a British protectorate.

Unfortunately, after Moshoeshoe's death, Britain treated Basutoland like a colony for a decade or so until its protectorate status was restored. Basutoland declared independence from the UK in 1966 and called itself the Kingdom of Lesotho.

It remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Answer: People who speak the language of the Sotho

The Sotho and Tswana clans were among the Bantu-speaking people who settled Lesotho and displaced the indigenous hunter-gatherers, the Khoisans, who consist of people formerly known as Bushmen (San) and Hottentots (Khoi). People who live in Lesotho refer to themselves as the Basotho -- or Mosotho in the singular.

The majority of the populace are descendants of the Sotho clans, with very few Europeans or Asians, but the majority religion is Christianity. The official languages are Sesotho and English, but Zulu and Xhosa among the working languages.

Answer: Maryland

Maryland is about 32,133 sq km (12,407 sq mi), and Lesotho is 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq mi). Lesotho's capital and largest city is Maseru. A member of the Commonwealth of Nations, Lesotho has no railways, but it has several airports, one state-owned TV station and two state-owned radio stations.

Answer: Coastal plain

Lesotho is landlocked and has no coastal plain! The lowlands are formed by the valleys of the Caledon River and the Orange (Senqu) River. The highlands consist of the Drakensberg and Maloti mountain ranges in central Lesotho and contain some peatlands, though not enough to justify extraction for biofuel.

The foothills, as the name suggests, are a transitional area between the lowlands and the highlands.

Answer: True

Lesotho lies in Africa's southern tip and is completely surrounded by South Africa, which has provided Lesotho with troops to assist police to combat poaching, smuggling, and illegal immigration. The border with South Africa is 909 km (565 mi) long. Many families depend on the income generated by miners who work in South Africa.

Answer: True

In fact, its lowest point of 1,400 meters (4,593 ft) -- at the junction of the Makhaleng and Orange (Senqu) rivers near the South African border -- is the highest lowest point in the world, if you follow me. Lesotho's highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana, a mountain towering at 3,482 m (11,424 ft). Because of its high altitude, Lesotho stays cooler than one might expect at its latitude.

It is part of the continental climate zone, which is rare in the Southern Hemisphere, and means that summers are still hot, but winters are cold, reaching 19.4 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 Celsius) in the lowlands and -4 degrees F (-20 degrees C) in the highlands.

Answer: Lesotho produces few textiles for export.

Other than diamonds from the Letseng mine in the Maluti mountains and building stone from various quarries, Lesotho has few exploitable natural resources. Agriculture and textiles are also important to the economy, and while many people engage in subsistence farming to meet their daily needs, there is some participation in the world market. Lesotho exports wool, mohair, and shoes, and it boasts one of the largest Levi's factories in the world. (Check your label; your jeans may be made in Lesotho.)

By the early 21st century, Lesotho had third largest AIDS epidemic in the world. In addition to public programs, the textile industry in Lesotho has partnered with the government to form the Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA), which provides employees with HIV prevention and treatment services.

Answer: Water

Other resources include grazing land, clay, sand, and building stone, but water is by far the most important. The Highland Water Project, involving the Matsoku, Sengunyane, Senqu, and Malibamtso rivers, irrigates drier areas of Lesotho and South Africa (for a fee) and provides hydroelectric power.

In fact, since 1998 Lesotho has been able to supply 90% of its electrical needs through hydropower. The project has also permitted the export of water (either piped directly to South Africa or bottled to other destinations), which became a significant part of its gross national product in the early 21st century.

Although the bedrock of Lesotho is shale, part of the Karoo Supergroup, it is not an exploitable source of oil or natural gas.

Answer: Flooding

Other resources include grazing land, clay, sand, and building stone, but water is by far the most important. Part of the Lowland Water Project, the Metolong Dam Water Supply Program, which opened in 2015, has alleviated chronic shortages by providing water for two-thirds of Leostho's people. Meanwhile the Highland Water Project, involving the Matsoku, Sengunyane, Senqu, and Malibamtso rivers, provides hydroelectricity to Lesotho.

In fact, since 1998 Lesotho has been able to supply 90% of its electrical needs through hydropower.

The project has also permitted the export of water (either piped directly to South Africa or bottled to other destinations), which became a significant part of its gross national product in the early 21st century. Although the bedrock of Lesotho is shale, part of the Karoo Supergroup, it is not an exploitable source of oil or natural gas.

Answer: Dinosaur

Have you heard of the Lesothosaurus? Paleontologist Peter Galton named the herbivorous bipedal reptile in 1978 for the country in which it was discovered. Two specimens were found curled up together; perhaps they were hibernating underground to escape the heat. Like Tyrannosaurus, the hind limbs were much longer than the forelimbs. It was about 3 ft (1 m) long, and it had grooved teeth, a short, pointed snout, and possibly a beak.

Lesotho has the highest concentration of dinosaur footprints in the world. You may view them at Morija, Leribe, and Quiteng. Other dinosaurs found in Lesotho include Massospondylus and Heterodontosaurus. Many fossils were discovered by missionaries exploring the area during the 19th century.