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Hlotse

Coordinates: 28°52′24.1″S 28°02′29.7″E / 28.873361°S 28.041583°E / -28.873361; 28.041583
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hlotse
Downtown Hlotse
Downtown Hlotse
Hlotse is located in Lesotho
Hlotse
Hlotse
Location in Lesotho
Coordinates: 28°52′24.1″S 28°02′29.7″E / 28.873361°S 28.041583°E / -28.873361; 28.041583
Country Lesotho
DistrictLeribe District
ConstituencyHlotse
Population
 (2016)
 • Total38,558
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)

Hlotse (also Leribe) is an important market town in Lesotho. It is situated on the Hlotse River, near the South African border. The town was founded in 1876 by a British missionary, Reverend John Widdicombe. It was a colonial centre until Lesotho gained its independence. The population in 2016 was 38,558.[1]

The alternate name, Leribe, comes from the adjacent French Protestant Leribe Mission, founded in 1859 by François Coillard. Hlotse is also called Leribe because it is the camptown in the district of Leribe.

The main Basotho Headquarters for Help Lesotho is in Hlotse.

Places of interest

[edit]
Leribe Craft Centre

Three different sightseeing locations are the Leribe Craft Centre, statue in front of the District Administration office, and an old military lookout.

The Leribe Craft Centre sells handmade wool items ranging from scarfs to jackets. The craft centre is located on the side of the road as a person comes into Hlotse. The statue in front of the District Administration building dates back to English rule of Lesotho. It is located in the central part of the city. The old military lookout also dates back to English rule and is located in the central part of the city.

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Leribe (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27.5
(81.5)
26.8
(80.2)
25.2
(77.4)
22.3
(72.1)
19.4
(66.9)
16.5
(61.7)
16.8
(62.2)
19.3
(66.7)
22.8
(73.0)
24.1
(75.4)
25.4
(77.7)
26.8
(80.2)
22.7
(72.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 14.0
(57.2)
13.5
(56.3)
11.2
(52.2)
7.3
(45.1)
2.5
(36.5)
−0.9
(30.4)
−1.5
(29.3)
1.6
(34.9)
5.9
(42.6)
9.3
(48.7)
11.2
(52.2)
12.9
(55.2)
7.3
(45.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 121.2
(4.77)
69.9
(2.75)
101.0
(3.98)
58.9
(2.32)
21.3
(0.84)
13.4
(0.53)
5.4
(0.21)
20.2
(0.80)
21.9
(0.86)
74.9
(2.95)
87.9
(3.46)
92.5
(3.64)
688.5
(27.11)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.5 mm) 12 10 11 7 3 2 1 3 3 9 9 10 80
Source: World Meteorological Organization[2]

Personalities linked to Hlotse

[edit]
  • Jeanne de Casalis (1891-1966), English actress with French and Swiss roots, was born in Hlotse from a missionary family.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lesotho Bureau of Statistics
  2. ^ "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
[edit]
  • Hlotse travel guide from Wikivoyage

28°52′24.1″S 28°02′29.7″E / 28.873361°S 28.041583°E / -28.873361; 28.041583