Editing Geography of Lesotho (section)

==Natural resources==
[[File:Lesotho2025OSM.png|thumb|Detailed map of Lesotho]] 
Lesotho is poor in natural resources.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.worldinformation.com/worldroot/start.asp?content=world&continent=Africa&country=266&bodytext=profile&p=3| title=Country Information: Lesotho (page 3)| work=worldinformation.com| access-date=2008-04-19}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Economically the most important resource is water. The [[Lesotho Highlands Water Project]] allows exporting water from the [[Malibamat'so River|Malibamatso]], [[Matsoku River|Matsoku]], [[Senqu River|Senqu]] and [[Senqunyane River|Senqunyane]] rivers to South Africa, while also generating [[hydroelectric power]] for Lesotho's needs. As of April 2008, the first phase of the project has been completed.<ref name="lhwp">{{cite web| url=http://www.lhwp.org.ls/overview/default.htm| title=Project Overview| work=Lesotho Highlands Water Project| access-date=2008-04-19| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511013231/http://www.lhwp.org.ls/overview/Default.htm| archive-date=2008-05-11}}</ref> The project already accounts for an estimated five percent of Lesotho's [[Gross domestic product|GDP]], and when fully completed, it could account for as much as 20 percent.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.worldreport-ind.com/lesotho/natural.htm| title=White gold powers economic cooperation| author=World Report Limited| access-date=2008-04-20| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107025538/http://www.worldreport-ind.com/lesotho/natural.htm| archive-date=2009-01-07| url-status=usurped}}</ref>

The main mineral resource is diamonds from the [[Letseng diamond mine]] in the Maluti mountain range. The mine produces very few stones, but has the highest dollar ratio per carat of any diamond mine in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.khulsey.com/jewelry/kh_jewelry_diamond_mines_pg2.html |title = South African Diamond Mines |work = khulsey.com |access-date = 2008-04-19 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080413055442/http://www.khulsey.com/jewelry/kh_jewelry_diamond_mines_pg2.html |archive-date = 2008-04-13 }}</ref> Other mineral resources include [[coal]], [[galena]], [[quartz]], [[agate]] and [[uranium]] deposits, but their exploitation is not considered commercially viable.<ref name="minerals">{{cite journal| title=Lesotho: Mining| author=The Economist Intelligence Unit| date=2004-02-20}}</ref> [[Clay]] deposits can be found in the country, and are used for producing tiles, bricks and other ceramics.<ref name="minerals" />

Much of the population engages in [[Subsistence agriculture|subsistence farming]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.lesotho.gov.ls/about/economy.php| title=Lesotho Economy| work=Lesotho Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology| access-date=2008-04-19| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419010254/http://www.lesotho.gov.ls/about/economy.php| archive-date=2008-04-19}}</ref> even though only 10.71% of the country's surface is classified as arable land and 0.13% has permanent crops.<ref name="factbook" /> Much of the land has been ruined by [[soil erosion]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=48540| title=LESOTHO: "The land is blowing away"| work=IRIN| access-date=2008-04-21| archive-date=2011-08-07| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807223511/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=48540| url-status=live}}</ref> The most fertile farmlands are in the northern and central lowlands, and in the foothills between the lowlands and the mountains.<ref name="lesmet">{{cite web| url=http://www.lesmet.org.ls/climate_of_lesotho.htm| title=Climate of Lesotho| work=Lesotho Meteorological Service| access-date=2008-04-19| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224101153/http://www.lesmet.org.ls/climate_of_lesotho.htm| archive-date=2007-12-24}}</ref> Large tracts of the fertile farmland to the north of the country—in the [[Free State (South African province)|Free State]] region of South Africa—were lost to European colonists in wars during the 19th century.