Trivia in Lesotho

National symbols

Flag: Horizontal blue-white-green tricolor with a black mokorotlo (traditional hat) in the center (adopted 2006)

Emblem: A shield depicting a crocodile supported by two Basotho horses with crossed spears and clubs, bearing the national motto 'Khotso, Pula, Nala (Peace, Rain, Prosperity)' on a ribbon

Trivia & facts

• "Lesotho" means "people who speak Sesotho."
• The country's lowest point is still at 1,400m elevation, having the world's "highest lowland."
• The currency loti is pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, with similar banknote sizes and colors.
• Postcards of the Basotho blanket-clad mounted cavalry are more popular than Table Mountain photos.
• HIV prevalence is among the world's highest, making public health measures a national challenge.
• The country's only ski resort "Afriski" is promoted as the northernmost operating ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The massive 910-carat diamond "Lesotho Legend" was mined in 2018.
• Hydroelectric power generation exceeds domestic demand and supplies South Africa.
• The license plate prefix "LS" is an abbreviation of "Lesotho," not the country name.
• Lesotho's flag is the third version, with the current flag reviving the mokorotlo from the original flag.