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Government Stats: compare key data on Lesotho & Niue

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Definitions

  • Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
  • Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
  • Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
  • Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
  • Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
  • International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
  • Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • Leaders > Prime minister: Government > Leaders > Prime minister
  • Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Country name > Conventional short form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Transnational Issues > Disputes > International: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
  • National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  • Legislative branch > Elections: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Legislative branch > Election results: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. "
  • Judicial branch > Subordinate courts: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Leaders > Head of state: Government > Leaders > Head of state
  • National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
  • Capital > Geographic coordinates: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Capital city: The location of the seat of government.
  • Capital > Name: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Capital > Time difference: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Leaders > Prime minister > Profile: Government > Leaders > Prime minister > Profile
  • Leaders > Prime minister > Summary: Government > Leaders > Prime minister > Summary
  • Country name > Former: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Capital city > Time difference: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China: The date on which each country established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
STAT Lesotho Niue HISTORY
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka none
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 29 19 S, 27 29 E 19 01 S, 169 55 W
Capital city > Name Maseru Alofi
Constitution previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version); amended 2001 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet Cabinet consists of the premier and 3 ministers
Executive branch > Chief of state King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996) Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Mark BLUMSKY (since September 2011)
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE (since 8 June 2012) Premier Toke TALAGI (since 18 June 2008)
Government type parliamentary constitutional monarchy self-governing parliamentary democracy
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Legal system mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal English common law
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate unicameral Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders All Basotho Convention or ABC [Motsoahae Thomas THABANE]<br />Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP [Geremane RAMATHEBANE]<br />Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Thulo MAHLAKENG]<br />Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]<br />Basotho National Party or BNP [Thesele 'MASERIBANE]<br />Democratic Congress or DC [Pakalitha MOSISILI]<br />Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Mothetjoa METSING]<br />Lesotho Peoples Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]<br />Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]<br />Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]<br />National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA]<br /> Alliance of Independents or AI<br />Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Tsebo MATÅ ASA] (pushes for media freedom) NA
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Country name > Conventional long form Kingdom of Lesotho none
Executive branch > Elections according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party, or coalition of parties, in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarchy is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age the monarchy is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held on 16 May 2011 (next to be held in 2014)
Leaders > Prime minister Motsoahae Thomas Thabane Toke Talagi
Flag description three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross; the larger star stands for Niue, the smaller stars recall the Southern Cross constellation on the New Zealand flag and symbolize links with that country; yellow represents the bright sunshine of Niue and the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand
Country name > Conventional short form Lesotho Niue
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration none
National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR <strong>name: </strong>"Ko e Iki he Lagi" (The Lord in Heaven)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> unknown/unknown, prepared by Sioeli FUSIKATA
Legislative branch > Elections last held on 26 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017) last held on 7 May 2011 (next to be held in 2014)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DC 48, ABC 30, LCD 26, BNP 5, PFD 3, NIP 2, other 6 percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 20 independents
Independence 4 October 1966 (from the UK) 19 October 1974 (Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand)
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; Courts Martial High Court
Leaders > Head of state King Letsie III Queen Elizabeth II
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February
Capital > Geographic coordinates 29 19 S, 27 29 E 19 01 S, 169 55 W
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.998
Ranked 30th.
1.19
Ranked 2nd. 19% more than Lesotho

Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75 Niue chief justice appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the premier; other judges appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the Cabinet and tendered by the chief justice and the minister of justice; judges serve until age 68
Capital city Maseru Alofi
Capital > Name Maseru Alofi
Capital > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Leaders > Prime minister > Profile <p>Thomas Thabane heads a coalition government which ousted his predecessor after elections in May 2012. </p> <p>Mr Thabane&#039;s All Basotho Convention, the largest opposition party, teamed up with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy and the Basotho National Party (BNP) to share power and oust the unpopular Pakalitha Mosisili, who had been in power for 14 years.</p> <p>Mr Mosisili&#039;s Democratic Congress party won the most seats, but fell short of the required majority to govern alone.</p> <p>Mr Mosisili had been in power since 1998, when post-poll wrangling led to weeks of unrest that ultimately triggered military intervention by neighbouring South Africa and Botswana to restore order. </p> <p>Since independence from Britain in 1966, Lesotho has undergone several military coups.</p> <p>Toke Talagi was elected in June 2008 to a serve a three-year term. He gained the backing of parliament for another term in May 2011. </p> <p>Mr Talagi had previously served in the roles of deputy premier and finance minister. He is also president of the Niue Rugby Union. </p> <p>Toke Talagi was chair of the regional inter-governmental organisation, the Pacific Islands Forum, from 2008 to 2009. </p>
Leaders > Prime minister > Summary Mr Thabane heads a coalition Toke Talagi
Country name > Former Basutoland Savage Island
National anthem > Name "Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers) "Ko e Iki he Lagi" (The Lord in Heaven)
Capital city > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National anthem > Note adopted 1967; the anthem's music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook adopted 1974
Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China April 30, 1983 December 12, 2007

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