While many dream of sailing the seven seas to visit every country on Earth, few have actually managed to achieve it. Thor Pedersen has gone one better – he’s visited every country without stepping inside an airplane.
He said Lesotho was beautiful and a “hidden and spectacular” natural wonder. Formerly known as Basutoland, the small landlocked country is located in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclaves in the world, along with San Marino and Vatican City. Situated in the Maloti Mountains, Lesotho is actually home to the highest peak in Southern Africa.
“Lesotho was country No 106 on my very long journey,” said Pedersen in The Guardian. “Its natural beauty was immediately apparent.
“It was suggested I go higher up into the mountains, to Semonkong. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. Was I in Iceland, Austria, Bhutan or Bolivia?”
Lesotho is also known by various nicknames, including “The Mountain Kingdom” and “The Kingdom in the Sky”.
Covering an area of 11,600 square miles, the country is home to around two million people. It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres.
Lesotho is a country perfect for nature lovers. There are known to be an incredible 339 bird species in the country, including 10 globally threatened species and 60 endemic mammal species, including the endangered white-tailed rat.
The country gained its independence from the UK and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966. As such, Lesotho’s cuisine includes both Africa traditions and British influences. Tea and locally brewed beer are choices for drinks. British influence is also visible through the remnants of trading posts that operated from the 18th to the 20th centuries, found in villages including Roma, Ha Matala and Semonkong.
While the country boasts stunning landscapes for tourists to explore, life is not so picturesque for its residents. Almost half of Lesotho’s population is below the poverty line and the country’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the second-highest in the world. That being said, it has one of the highest rates of literacy in Africa at 81% as of 2021.
Ryan Coogler, director of the 2018 film Black Panther, stated that his depiction of Wakanda was inspired by Lesotho. Basotho blankets – the national dress – “became more known” as a result of the film.