Eswatini

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.

• limited supplies of potable water;
• wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
• overgrazing;
• soil degradation;
• soil erosion

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Desertification, Law of the Sea

0-14 years:

45.5% (male 254,573; female 256,677)

15-64 years:

51.9% (male 281,645; female 301,071)

65 years and over:

2.6% (male 12,027; female 17,612) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.68 male(s)/female

total population:

0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Swazi(s)

adjective:

Swazi

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form:

Swaziland

• none;
• constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973;
• a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people;
• since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted

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

chief of state:

King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government:

Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)

cabinet:

Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch

elections:

• none;
• the monarch is hereditary;
• prime minister appointed by the monarch

• High Court;
• Court of Appeal;
• judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

• political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations - Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA];
• Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president];
• People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president];
• Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA

FAX:

[1] (202) 244-8059

telephone:

[1] (202) 362-6683

chancery:

3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission:

Ambassador James D. McGEE

embassy:

Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane

mailing address:

P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone:

[268] 404-6441 through 404-6445

FAX:

[268] 404-5959

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• emalangeni per US dollar - 11.5808 (January 2002), 8.4933 (2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997);
• note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand;
• emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni

general assessment:

a somewhat modern but not an advanced system

domestic:

system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international:

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

total:

297 km

narrow gauge:

297 km 1.067-m gauge

note: includes 71 km which are not in use (2001)

total:

3,800 km

paved:

1,064 km

unpaved:

2,736 km (2002)