Why Does South Africa Have Two Tiny Countries Inside It? The Surprising Answer

 Have you ever looked at an Africa map and just gone, “What the heck are those two little countries sitting inside South Africa?” 

It's one of those geographical quirks that makes you scratch your head. 

If you're asking, "why does South Africa have two tiny extra countries inside it, give me the real reason," then you've come to the right place.
 
Today, we're going to explain what the heck is going on. 

The story of the countries inside of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, is a fascinating tale of stubborn kings, clever diplomacy, and the messy politics of the British Empire. 

Let's dive in.
 

A Story of Survival: How They Resisted Being Swallowed Up

 
To understand why these nations exist, we have to go back to the 1800s. 

Southern Africa was a chaotic chessboard of conflict, primarily between the expanding British Empire and the Dutch-descended Boers (or Afrikaners), who were moving inland to establish their own republics.
 
Caught in the middle were the native African kingdoms. 

While many were conquered, two played their cards just right.
 

The Mountain Kingdom: Why Lesotho Exists

 
First up is Lesotho. 

Back then, it was known as Basutoland and was led by the brilliant and strategic King Moshoeshoe I. 

He was a master diplomat who successfully defended his people, the Basotho, against Boer expansion for years.
 
However, realizing the pressure was becoming too great, he made a clever move. 

Instead of being conquered, he formally asked the British Empire for protection. 

In 1868, Britain agreed. Basutoland became a British protectorate, a territory under British control but not officially a colony. 

This is the core reason why Lesotho is not part of South Africa today. 

When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, Basutoland remained a separate British-administered entity. 

It eventually gained full independence in 1966, becoming the Kingdom of Lesotho.
 

The Monarchy's Strategy: Why is Eswatini Not Part of South Africa

 
The story of the second country, Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), is very similar. 

Ruled by the Swazi monarchy, they also faced immense pressure from Boer settlers pushing into their territory.
 
Following a similar path, the Swazi kings turned to Britainfor protection in the late 1800s. 

In 1903, Swaziland officially became a British protectorate. 

And just like Lesotho, when South Africa was created in 1910, Swaziland was left out and continued to be administered separately by the British. 

It finally became a fully independent nation in 1968.
 

The Deeper Question: Why Didn't Britain Just Merge Them?

 
Okay, so that explains how they stayed separate initially. 

But as I was researching this, a bigger question popped into my head: "Why didn't Britain just merge them into South Africa when it was formed?" 

It seems like it would have been simpler and cleaner on the map.
 
This is where the story gets really interesting. 

At first glance, it's confusing. 

But after digging into the history, the answer becomes clear, and it’s a fascinating story of promises, politics, and principles.
 

1. A Promise of Protection

 
First and foremost, the leaders of Basutoland and Swaziland had specifically asked Britain for *protection from the Boers*. 

Handing these kingdoms over to the newly formed Union of South Africa, a state largely dominated by those very same Afrikaners, would have been a monumental betrayal of that trust. 

The British government felt a moral obligation to uphold their end of the deal.
 

2. Resisting South Africa's Racist Policies

 
As the 20th century progressed, South Africa began implementing increasingly harsh segregationist laws. 

These were the precursors to the brutal system of Apartheid. 

Britain was extremely reluctant to hand over the Basotho and Swazi people to a country where their rights would be severely limited and they would be subjected to systemic racial discrimination.

This can also be attributed to british imperialism, but that's a story for another day.

The difficult early relationship between Lesotho and South Africa was defined from the start by this fundamental difference in ideology.
 

3. A Political Standoff

 
For decades, South Africa aggressively demanded that Britain hand over the territories. 

This pressure often had the opposite effect. 

The British government didn't want to be seen as caving to the demands of a dominion, especially on a point of moral principle. 

This created a political standoff that lasted for over 50 years, giving Lesotho and Eswatini the time and space to develop their own national identities and push for full independence.
 

A Lasting Legacy

 So, when people ask "why does Lesotho exist" or why Eswatini is its own country, the short answer is that their savvy leaders chose British protection over being conquered. 

The full answer is that Britain's sense of duty(aka imperialism), its refusal to subject them to racist policies, and a long political standoff allowed them to remain separate long enough to become the independent nations we see on the map today.
 
And if you're wondering, "do Lesotho and South Africa get along now?" their modern relationship is incredibly complex. 

They are economically dependent on each other, but political tensions still arise, all stemming from this unique history.
 
I hope that clears things up! It’s a piece of history that has a direct impact on the map we see today.
 
If you enjoyed learning about this, you might enjoy the video version of this post on my YouTube channel. 

The story of Lesotho and Eswatini is a masterclass in achieving universally accepted independence. 

But not every region in Africa has been so fortunate. 

If you want to explore the other side of this coin, I’ve written about the fascinating and complex stories of unrecognized African states

And if you like this kind of content, you’ll definitely want to check out the partner video to this one—it tells you why The Gambia cuts into Senegal like a snake!
 
Thank you for reading!
 
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About the Author

 
I'm Son of Sudi, a creator who believes that geography and history are way more interesting than your high school teacher made them seem. 

My goal is to answer the weird and wonderful questions about our world, one map at a time. I turn my research into short, engaging videos and blog posts.
 
*  Follow my adventures on YouTube: Son ofSudi
*   Catch my shorter content on TikTok: @sonofsudi