Why is Lesotho called the Kingdom in the Sky? Here are 8 interesting facts

Here are eight interesting facts of Lesotho also known 'The kingdom in the sky'.

The Kingdom of Lesotho is made up mostly of highlands, where many villages can only be reached on horseback, by foot or light aircraft. It is known as the "Kingdom in the Sky" and is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000m (3,281ft) in elevation, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica. Its lowest point is at 1,400m.

'The Kingdom in the Sky'

Lesotho is completely encircled by South Africa, but separated by the forbidding mountain ranges. Not much of its land is available for farming, with its population vulnerable to food shortages and relying on income from jobs in South Africa.

It's completely surrounded by South Africa

People from Lesotho are referred to as Basotho. Some of the cultural items associated with the Basotho people are their blankets and the Basotho traditional conical hats, known as the mokorotlo. The hat is a national symbol and appears in the middle of the country's flag.

People from Lesotho are called Basotho

Resources are scarce in Lesotho - a consequence of the harsh environment of the highland plateau and limited agricultural space in the lowlands. Its biggest resource is water - known locally as white gold - which is exported to South Africa. Diamonds are another major export.

Lesotho's biggest resource is 'white gold'

When you think of skiing and snowboarding, you may imagine the snowy slopes of Europe and North America. But Lesotho has been making itself known on the snow sports scene. It has the highest ski resort in sub-Saharan Africa, one of just a handful on the continent.

The highest ski resort in sub-Saharan Africa

Lesotho has one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence in the world, with one in five adults living with HIV, and more infections per 100,000 people than most other countries, including neighbouring Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini.

It has one of the highest HIV rates in the world

Jeans have long been associated with the American West but nowadays, many of the pairs worn in the US have come from halfway across the world, in Lesotho. Lesotho's garment factories have made jeans for iconic American brands such as Levi's and Wrangler in recent years. As a result, Lesotho has become known as the "denim capital of Africa".

It exports jeans to the US

The mountain kingdom has the world's highest suicide rate, with 87.5 people per 100,000 of the population taking their own life every year, according to the UN World Health Organisation.

The country with the world's highest suicide rate

This information is not DNA's opinion but obtained from media reports