Eswatini

monarchyIndependence 6 September 1968 (from UK)

Eswatini as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMbabane (administrative)

Area17,360 km2

Populationas each edition published it

778,525 people July 1990 · 1.14m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.18% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 55.94 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6 children per woman 1990 · 2.64 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

126 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 38 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.5% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Land useshare of 17,360 km2

arable land 8%meadows and pastures 67%forest and woodland 6%other 19%NEGL% permanent crops; includes 2% irrigated

Total area

17,360km2

land area: 17,200 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries

535km total

Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Natural resources

asbestos, coal, clay, tin, hydroelelectric power, forests, and small gold and diamond deposits

Environment

overgrazing;
soil degradation;
soil erosion

Note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People

14 fields

Population

778,525

(July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

46Death

15Net migration

Ethnic divisions

African 97%European 3%

Religion

Christian 60%indigenous beliefs 40%

Literacy

67.9%

Language

English and siSwati (official); government business conducted in English

Labor force

195,000;
over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture;
about 92,000 wage earners (many only intermittently), with 36% agriculture and forestry, 20% community and social services, 14% manufacturing, 9% construction, 21% other;
24,000-29,000 employed in South Africa (1987)

Government

Monarchy

18 fields

Type

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Constitution

none;
constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended on 12 April 1973;
a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

Legal system

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Libandla) is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986); Head of Government--Prime Minister Obed MFANYANA (since 12 July 1989)

Political parties

none; banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA;
Chancery at 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 362-6683;
US--Ambassador (vacant), Deputy Chief of Mission Armajane KARAER;
Embassy at Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane);
telephone 22281 through 22285

Flag

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in yellow;
centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

17%

(1989 est.)

External debt

$275million

(December 1987)

Budget

Revenues

$255 millionExpenditures

$253 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA million (FY91 est.)

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies much of the labor force and contributes about 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another 25% of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted in 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos.

Exports of sugar and forestry products are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa, from which it receives 90% of its imports and to which it sends about one-third of its exports.

GNP

$539 million, per capita $750; real growth rate 5.7% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$394 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--sugar, asbestos, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit, soft drink concentrates;
partners--South Africa, UK, US

Imports

$386 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, foodstuffs;
partners--South Africa, US, UK

Industrial production

growth rate 24% (1986)

Electricity

50,000 kW capacity; 130 million kWh produced, 170 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Agriculture

accounts for 25% of GDP and over 60% of labor force;
mostly subsistence agriculture;
cash crops--sugarcane, citrus fruit, cotton, pineapples;
other crops and livestock--corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep;
not self-sufficient in grain

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $132 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $468 million

Currency

lilangeni (plural--emalangeni); 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1--2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985);
note--the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 23 total, 22 usable

permanent-surfaced runways

1runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

none

Networkskm

Highways

2,853Railroads

297

Highways: ; 510 km paved, 1,230 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, and 1,113 km improved earth · Railroads: , 1.067-meter gauge, single track

system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity radio relay links;
15,400 telephones;
stations--6 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station