Lesotho
Capital: Maseru · Southern Africa
The mountain kingdom founded by Moshoeshoe I as a refuge during the lifaqane wars — famous for the Basotho blanket, pony culture and lithoko praise poetry.
Ethnic communities
More communities of Lesotho
- Bakoena — Moshoeshoe's royal clan of the crocodile
- Batlokoa — Highland clan of the wildcat totem
- Bafokeng — Ancient dew-hare clan of first settlement
- Bataung — Lion-totem clan of the southern plains
- Baphuthi — Southern mountain people of distinct speech
- Makhoakhoa — Northern highland clan communities
- Matebele-descended — Nguni refuge lineages within Basotho
- Bathepu (Xhosa kin) — Border communities of Cape links
- Basia — Cat-totem clan of old standing
- Herdboy culture — The mountain balisana's blanket-and-flute world
- Senqu valley villages — River-canyon farming communities
- Baroa heritage — San-descended families of the high peaks
- Initiation lineages — Lebollo schools' custodian families
- Famo music houses — Accordion-and-verse performing lineages
Languages
Major languages: Sesotho, English
Language families: Niger-Congo (Bantu, Sotho-Tswana)
Historical kingdoms & states
- • Kingdom of Lesotho (Basotho Kingdom)
Heritage sites
- • Thaba Bosiu plateau
- • Maloti-Drakensberg (shared, San rock art)
Cultural highlights
Basotho blankets & mokorotlo hatLithoko praise poetryFamo accordion music