Lesotho

Plenty of water and occasional snow

Nation: Lesotho National Day: 04.10.00

Snow-capped peaks in the South of Africa? The mountain ranges in Lesotho rise over 3000 metres. The seasons there are pronounced and it snows in winter. The photo of a panoramic view, displayed at Lesotho's stand, shows the unusual beauty of this small kingdom's mountainous region.

Horses and riders, accompanied by a woman, stand beneath an oversized Basotho hut. The Sothos, the country's Bantu-speaking population, wear pointed grass hats as protection against the sun and rain and drape their shoulders with patterned blankets. The Basotho ponies have been trained for riding purposes and today they are an important means of transport in the mountains.

A small waterfall draws our attention to another special feature of Lesotho. The watershed of the region is located here and water is the major export product.