Factbook
Histoire de Lesotho — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Lesotho, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1822Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822.
1868Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony.
1966After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho.
1966Independence: 4 October 1966 (from the UK).
1990King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996.
1993Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule.
1998In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
2002Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded.
2012In 2012, competitive elections saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government -- the first in the country's history -- that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.
2014Languages: Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu Religions: Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.) Urban population: 30.4% of total population (2023).
2015MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup.
2017In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder.
2018Major urban areas: 202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018) lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption Inflation: 6.1% (2024 est.).
2022In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition.
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism Agriculture: milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023) Electricity access: 50% (2022 est.).
2024Military spending: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.).
