Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. As an enclave of South Africa, with which it shares a 1,106 km border, it is the only sovereign enclave in the world outside of the Italian Peninsula. It 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 sq mi) and has a population of about 2 million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
The history of people living in the area now known as Lesotho goes back as many as 400 years. Present Lesotho emerged as a single polity under King Moshoeshoe I in 1822. Under Moshoeshoe I, Basotho joined other clans in their struggle against the Lifaqane associated with famine and the reign of Shaka Zulu from 1818 to 1828.
Moshoeshoe II, previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso, was the Paramount Chief of Basutoland, succeeding paramount chief Seeiso from 1960 until the country gained full independence from Britain in 1966. He was King of Lesotho from 1966 until his exile in 1990, and from 1995 until his death in 1996.
The Sotho, also known as the Basotho, are a prominent Sotho-Tswana ethnic group native to Southern Africa. They primarily inhabit the regions of Lesotho and South Africa.
Moshoeshoe I was the first king of Lesotho. He was the first son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, a branch of the Koena (crocodile) clan. In his youth, he helped his father gain power over some other smaller clans. At the age of 34 Moshoeshoe formed his own clan and became a chief. He and his followers settled at the Butha-Buthe Mountain. He became the first and longest-serving King of Lesotho in 1822.
'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso served as the Regent Head of State of Lesotho on three occasions: 5 June to 5 December 1970, 10 March to 12 November 1990 and 15 January to 7 February 1996.
Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho, Principal Chief of Matsieng is the younger brother of Lesotho's King Letsie III, and son of the Southern African country's late King Moshoeshoe II (1938–1996) and the late Queen 'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso (1941–2003).
Prince Lerotholi Seeiso is a member of the royal family of Lesotho and the current heir apparent to the throne.
'Masenate Mohato Seeiso is Queen of Lesotho as the wife of King Letsie III of Lesotho. She was the first commoner in modern history to marry into the royal family of Lesotho. Since becoming queen, she has become the patron of several charities and has worked to promote the work of projects related to HIV/AIDS.
Princess Senate Mohato Seeiso is a princess of Lesotho, the eldest child of King Letsie III of Lesotho and his wife Queen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
Seeiso, full name Simon Seeiso Griffith was the paramount chief of Basutoland from 23 June 1939 until his death. He was the father of king Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho and the paternal grandfather of king Letsie III of Lesotho.
'Mantšebo was the ruler of Basutoland from 1941 to 1960, as the regent for her stepson, the future Moshoeshoe II.
Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho is a member of the Royal Family of Lesotho. Princess Seeiso is the wife of Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and the sister-in-law of King Letsie III of Lesotho.
Lesotho–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between Russia and Lesotho.
Mothetjoa Metsing is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho. He is a member and current leader of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). He served in the government of Prime Minister Tom Thabane between 2012 and 2015. In 2014, he was involved in controversy over an alleged coup attempt against the prime minister that was eventually resolved over calls for an early election.
Maluti Sky was an airline based at Moshoeshoe I International Airport in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. It offered scheduled and charter flights. The airline was founded in 2009 as MGC Airlines, becoming the first privately owned airline in Lesotho. Maluti Sky began passenger flights to Johannesburg in March 2016; it was at that time the only airline based in the country since Lesotho Airways ceased operations in 1996. However, the airline terminated all flights in 2017 as a result of financial issues.
Princess 'Maseeiso Mohato Seeiso is a princess of Lesotho, the second child of King Letsie III of Lesotho and his wife Queen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
France–Lesotho relations are bilateral relations between the sovereign states of France and Lesotho. France has an embassy in Maseru, Lesotho, while Lesotho doesn't have an embassy in Paris.
The Succession to the throne of Lesotho is laid down in Chapter V of the African kingdom's constitution. The current King is Letsie III.
