Lesotho [ a ] , formally the Kingdom of Lesotho , formerly known as Basutoland , is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. As an enclave of South Africa , with which it shares a 1, km mi border, [ 8 ] it is the largest sovereign enclave in the world, and the only one outside of the Italian Peninsula.
It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest peak in Southern Africa. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
The Sotho ethnic group also known as Basotho , from which the country derives its name, composes Their native language, Sesotho , is the official language along with English.
The name Lesotho translates to "land of the Sesotho speakers". Lesotho was formed in by King Moshoeshoe I. Continuous encroachments by Dutch settlers made the King enter into an agreement with the British Empire to become a protectorate in and, in , a crown colony.
Its constitutional government was restored in after seven years of military rule. King Moshoeshoe II was exiled in but returned in and was reinstated in Lesotho is considered a lower middle income country with significant socioeconomic challenges. According to V-Dem Democracy indices , Lesotho is ranked 64th electoral democracy worldwide and 7th electoral democracy in Africa.
