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:

41.4% (male 242,762; female 238,141)

15-64 years:

55.1% (male 317,526; female 321,709)

65 years and over:

3.5% (male 18,040; female 23,041) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.78 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2003 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 Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)

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 Liberatory 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%:

1%

highest 10%:

50.2% (1995)

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:

301 km

narrow gauge:

301 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

total:

3,247 km

paved:

NA

unpaved:

NA (1998)