Eswatini

monarchyIndependence 6 September 1968 (from UK)

Eswatini as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 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

913,008 people July 1992 · 778,525 in 1990

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

6.2 children per woman 1992 · 6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

98 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 126 in 1990

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

13 fields

Total area

17,360km2

Comparative 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, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use

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

Environment

overgrazing;
soil degradation;
soil erosion

Note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People

14 fields

Population

913,008

(July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

44Death

12Net migration

-6

Literacy

55%

(male 57%, female 54%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Languages

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 agriculture and forestry 36%, community and social services 20%, manufacturing 14%, construction 9%, other 21%;
16,800 employed in South Africa mines (1990)

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 is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Leaders

Chief of State:: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Obed DLAMINI (since 12 July 1989)

Political parties and leaders

none; banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978

Elections

indirect parliamentary election through Swaziland's Tinkhundala System scheduled for November 1992

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA;
Chancery at 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008;
telephone (202) 362-6683

US:: Ambassador Stephen H. ROGERS;
Embassy at Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane);
telephone [268] 46441 through 5;
FAX [268] 45959

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

13%

(1990)

External debt

$290million

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$335.4 millionExpenditures

$360.5 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93 est.)

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies most of the labor force and contributes nearly 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter 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 75% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $563 million, per capita $725; real growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$557 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit
partners:: South Africa 50% (est.), EC, Canada

Imports

$632 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
partners:: South Africa 75% (est.), Japan, Belgium, UK

Industrial production

growth rate NA; accounts for 26% of GDP (1989)

Electricity

60,000 kW capacity; 155 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Agriculture

accounts for 23% of GDP and over 60% of labor force;
mostly subsistence agriculture;
cash crops - sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus fruit, pineapples;
other crops and livestock - corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep;
not self-sufficient in grain

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $142 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $518 million

Currency

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

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1 - 2.7814 (January 1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987);
note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 23 total, 21 usable

permanent-surfaced runways

1runways | over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

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: (plus 71 km disused), 1.067-meter gauge, single track

system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity microwave links;
17,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 7 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force, Royal Swaziland Police Force

3 fields

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