Eswatini

total:

1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)

per capita:

1,010 cu m/yr (2000)

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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.72 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

degree of risk:

high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease:

malaria

water contact disease:

schistosomiasis (2009)

noun:

Swazi(s)

adjective:

Swazi

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form:

Swaziland

local long form:

Umbuso weSwatini

local short form:

eSwatini

name:

Mbabane

geographic coordinates:

26 18 S, 31 06 E

time difference:

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

• based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts;
• accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

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

• the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the 2006 Constitution and currently being debated;
• the following are considered political associations;
• African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president];
• Imbokodvo National Movement or INM;
• Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president];
• People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

• Swaziland Democracy Campaign;
• Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions;
• Swaziland and Solidarity Network or SSN

chief of mission:

Ambassador Abednigo Mandla NTSHANGASE

chancery:

1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 234-5002

FAX:

[1] (202) 234-8254

chief of mission:

Ambassador Earl M. IRVING

embassy:

2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane

mailing address:

P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone:

[268] 404-2445

FAX:

[268] 404-2059

• 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;
• blue stands for peace and stability, red represents past struggles, and yellow the mineral resources of the country;
• the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from the country's enemies, while the black and white of the shield are meant to portray black and white people living in peaceful coexistence

name:

"Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)

lyrics/music:

Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT

note: adopted 1968; the anthem uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

agriculture:

NA%

industry:

NA%

services:

NA%

lowest 10%:

1.6%

highest 10%:

40.7% (2001)

general assessment:

a somewhat modern but not an advanced system

domestic:

• single source for mobile-cellular service with a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscribership base;
• combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity exceeded 60 telephones per 100 persons in 2009;
• telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international:

country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

• state-owned TV station;
• satellite dishes are able to access South African providers;
• state-owned radio network with 3 channels;
• 1 private radio station (2007)

total:

301 km

country comparison to the world: 121

narrow gauge:

301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

total:

3,594 km

country comparison to the world: 160

paved:

1,078 km

unpaved:

2,516 km (2002)

• 18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
• no conscription;
• only HIV-negative applicants accepted;
• compulsory HIV testing required (2010)

males age 16-49:

196,633

females age 16-49:

172,602 (2010 est.)

male:

16,024

female:

15,630 (2010 est.)

current situation:

• Swaziland is a source, destination, and transit country for women and children trafficked internally and transnationally for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor in agriculture;
• Swazi girls, particularly orphans, are trafficked internally for commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, as well as to South Africa and Mozambique;
• Swazi boys are trafficked for forced labor in commercial agriculture and market vending;
• some Swazi women are forced into prostitution in South Africa and Mozambique after voluntarily migrating to these countries in search of work

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List - the government of Swaziland does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so;
• the government believes that trafficking probably does occur, but does not know the extent of the problem;
• the government does not judge trafficking to be an "important" problem and chooses to direct its limited resources towards other issues, a judgment which significantly limited the government's current efforts to eliminate human trafficking, or to plan anti-trafficking activities or initiatives for the future (2010)