Executive summary 2.2 The Country Support Mission (CSM) to formally launch the review process in Lesotho was fielded from 13 to 16 November 2006 under the leadership of Dr CL Stals, former member of the APR Panel. 2.3 The self-assessment process was conducted by a consortium of local Technical Research Institutes (TRIs), namely the Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS) of the National University of Lesotho (NUL) and the Lesotho Institute of Public Administration and Management (LIPAM) in the Ministry of Public Service. Lesotho submitted its self-assessment report and programme of action in November 2008, paving the way for the fielding of the Country Review Mission (CRM). 2.4 The CRM was fielded from 23 March to 9 April 2009 and comprised 14 members representing at least 10 African nationalities. The mission was led by Professor Adebayo Adedeji, chairperson of the APR Panel. Dr Chris Stals, who formerly led the process for the country, joined the mission as a high-level resource person. 2.5 The CRM formally began on 24 March 2009 with a launch attended by His Excellency, the Right Honourable Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, prime minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho. The mission subsequently paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Letsie III. 2.6 In the capital city and seat of government, Maseru, the mission interacted with three arms of government: the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. The mission also held discussions with various nonstate stakeholder groups and met with institutions with a bearing on governance such as the auditor general, the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL) and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). 2.7 As is mandated in the APRM guidelines, and in order to garner perspectives from the grass roots, the CRM undertook visits to five of the 10 districts in Lesotho, namely Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mohale’s Hoek, Thaba-Tseka and Quthing. 2.8 The mission was concluded following wrap-up sessions with the Cabinet and the NGC in Maseru. 3. Country background 3.1 Lesotho was established by King Moshoeshoe I about 200 years ago. It is one of the few constitutional monarchies in the world and unique in Africa in this respect. The inhabitants of the country are quite homogeneous in ethnic-linguistic composition, and the major religion is Christianity. 3.2 Lesotho is one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of 1.88 million (2006) and a total area of 30,355 square kilometres. The country is predominantly a rural economy with 76 per cent of the people dwelling in the rural areas. Poverty is widespread, with about 56.7 per cent of the population living below the poverty line.4 Lesotho ranks 138 out of 177 countries (2007) in 4 2 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2008) Lesotho: Millennium Development Goals Status Report.