Landlocked in the centre of South Africa, Lesotho is one of the few countries in Africa with natural boundaries created by tribal demands rather than those imposed by colonial decree. There are few natural resources and population pressures have decreased the agricultural potential, but the country has an almost overwhelming natural beauty coupled with welcoming, generous people. Much of Lesotho is covered by the high Maluti Mountains, and indeed even the lowlands, where most of Lesotho's 1.5 million people love, only fall to 1,300 m above sea level - The Highest Lowest Point of any country in the world. The Maluti are a rugged, wild range, ideal for trekking holidays, though they inevitably create their own climate, which can lead to sudden temperature drops, low cloud and thunderstorms. The visible history goes back at least 30,000 years, with cave paintings and other Bushman relics found in numerous scattered sites.
