Maseru (also Masero) is the capital of Lesotho. Located on the Caledon River , it is Lesotho's only sizable city, with a population of approximately 180,000 (2004). It is the capital of the Maseru District. The city's manufactures include candles and carpets. Masero was a small trading town when it was made the capital of the Basotho people by Paramount Chief Moshoeshoe I in 1869. It was the capital of the British Basutoland protectorate from 1869 to 1871 and from 1884 to 1966, when Basutoland gained its independence and was renamed Lesotho.
The National University of Lesotho is near the city, and an international airport is also nearby.
