Eswatini

Kingdom of Swaziland

monarchyIndependence 6 September 1968 (from UK)

Eswatini as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Populationas each edition published it

966,977 people July 1995 est. · 778,525 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.23% 1995 est. · 3.18% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

56.84 years 1995 est. · 55.94 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.1 children per woman 1995 est. · 6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

90.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 126 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,490 1994 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.5% 1994 est. · 2.5% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

14 fields

Land useshare of 17,360 sq km

arable land 10.9%permanent crops 0.2%meadows and pastures 62.2%forest and woodland 6.9%other 19.8%irrigated 640 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

17,360sq km

land area: 17,200 sq kmcomparative 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

International disputes

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

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

current issues:: limited access to potable water;
wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
overgrazing;
soil degradation;
soil erosion
natural hazards:: NA
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People

15 fields

Population

966,977

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 3.23% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

43.06Death

10.8Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years56.84

52.83 · 60.96

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy67%

70% · 65%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1986)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 46% (female 222,544; male 221,003)
15-64 years:: 52% (female 261,973; male 238,726)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 13,291; male 9,440) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

90.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Swazi(s)
adjective:: Swazi

Languages

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

Labor force

NA; by occupation: private sector about 65%, public sector 35%

Government

Monarchy; King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986); Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993)

22 fields

Names

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

Type

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

National holiday

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution

none;
constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 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

Executive branch

chief of state:: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government:: Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993)
cabinet:: Cabinet; designated by the monarch

Senate

consists of 30 members (10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the king)

House of Assembly

elections last held NA October 1993 (next to be held NA);
results - NA;
seats - (65 total, 55 directly elected, 10 appointed by the king) - balloting held on a non-party basis

Political parties and leaders

note: political parties are banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings

illegal parties:: Peoples' United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Kilson SHONOWE;
Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYCO), Benedict TSABEDZE;
Swaziland Communist Party (SWACOPA), Mphandlana SHONGWE

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Madzandza Mary KHANYA
chancery:: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 362-6683, 6685

FAX

[1] (202) 244-8059

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador John T. SPROTT
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

$3,490

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

4.5%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.2% (1993 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

11.3%

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$342 millionExpenditures

$410 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $130 million

Installed generating capacity, 120,000 kW

Electricity production

410 millionElectricity consumption per capita

1,003 (1993)

Overview

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies more than 60% of the population 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 by 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 half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines may supplement domestically produced income by as much as 20%.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$632 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: sugar, edible concentrates, wood pulp, cotton yarn, asbestos
partners:: South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada

Imports

$734 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
partners:: South Africa 90% (est.), Switzerland, UK

External debt

$240 million (1992)

Industries

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Agriculture

accounts for 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

recipient:: bilateral aid (1991) $35 million of which US disbursements $12 million, UK disbursements $6 million, and Denmark $2 million;
multilateral aid (1991) $24 million of which EC disbursements $8 million

Currency

1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.5389 (January 1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990);
note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Transportation

4 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 18 in all

2,438 to 3,047 m

under 914 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,853Railroads

297

Highways: paved: 510 km · unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 1,230 km; improved earth 1,113 km · Railroads: ; note - includes 71 km which are not in use · narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge (single track)

Railroads

total:: 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use
narrow gauge:: 297 km 1.067-m gauge (single track)

Highways

total:: 2,853 km
paved:: 510 km
unpaved:: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 1,230 km; improved earth 1,113 km

Ports

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

17,000 telephones; telephone density is only 17.6 telephones/1,000 persons

local:: NA
intercity:: system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity radio relay microwave links
international:: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 10
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland | Police Force