Eswatini

Kingdom of Swaziland

monarchy independent member of CommonwealthIndependence 6 September 1968 (from UK)

Eswatini as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 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

LocationSouthern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Populationas each edition published it

906,932 people July 1993 est. · 778,525 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.18% 1993 est. · 0.87% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

55.94 years 1993 est. · 60.7 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.16 children per woman 1993 est. · 6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

95.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 126 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$800 1991 est. · $10,400 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

2.5% 1991 est. · 2.6% in 2025

Geography

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

14 fields

Land useshare of 17,360 km2

arable land 8%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 67%forest and woodland 6%other 19%irrigated 620 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

17,360km2

land area: 17,200 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

535km

total · Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Environment

overgrazing;
soil degradation;
soil erosion

Note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People

14 fields

Population

906,932

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.18% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

43.22Death

11.41Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years55.94

51.97 · 60.03

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy55%

57% · 54%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Labor force

195,000

(over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; about 92,000 wage earners - many only intermittently)by occupation: agriculture and forestry 36%, community and social service 20%, manufacturing 14%, construction 9%, other 21%note: 15,980 employed in South African gold and coal mines (1991)

Infant mortality rate

95.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Swazi(s)
adjective:: Swazi

Ethnic divisions

African 97%, European 3%

Religions

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Languages

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

Government

Monarchy independent member of Commonwealth

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form:: Swaziland

Digraph

Type

monarchy independent member of Commonwealth

Capital

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence

6 September 1968 (from UK)

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)

Political parties and leaders

none; banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978

Suffrage

none

Elections

direct legislative elections rescheduled for June 1993

Executive branch

monarch, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament 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

Leaders

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

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, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA
chancery:: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 362-6683

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Stephen H. ROGERS
embassy:: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address:: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone:: [268] 46441 through 46445
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

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$800

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

2.5%

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for 26% of GDP (1989)

Inflation, consumer prices

13%

(1991 est.)

External debt

$290million

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$342 millionExpenditures

$410 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $130 million (FY94 est.)

Overview

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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $700 million (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$575 million (f.o.b., 1991)

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

Imports

$730 million (c.i.f., 1991)

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

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

1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.1576 (May 1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988);
note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

4 fields

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

total:: 23
usable:: 21
with permanent-surfaced runways:: 1
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 1

Telecommunications

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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