Maseru
Sign in to saveMaseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "red sandstones".
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Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho, a country in southern Africa, and sits on the border with South Africa along the Caledon River. The city was established as a police camp in 1869 when Lesotho became a British protectorate and has remained the capital since the country's independence in 1966.
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Place details
- Locality
- Maseru
- Region
- Maseru District
- Country
- Lesotho
- Population
- 359,753
Article
13 sectionsContents
- History
- Geography
- Climate
- Demographics
- Transport
- Economy
- Places of worship
- Architecture
- Sports
- Twin towns – sister cities
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "red sandstones".
==History== Maseru was founded by the British as a small police camp in 1869, following the conclusion of the Free State–Basotho Wars when Basutoland became a British protectorate. Maseru is located at the edge of the "conquered territories" relinquished to the Orange Free State (now the Free State province of South Africa) as part of the peace terms. It was located west of Basotho King Moshoeshoe I's stronghold of Thaba Bosiu, the previous de facto capital. A bustling market town soon grew around the area.