Eswatini
Kingdom of SwazilandUmbuso weSwatini
monarchyIndependence 6 September 1968 (from the UK)
Eswatini as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 142 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear.
The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
Geography
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
20 fieldsLand useshare of 17,364 sq km
Natural resources
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)
- per capita:
- 1,010 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment - current issues
- limited supplies of potable water;
- wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
- overgrazing;
- soil degradation;
- soil erosion
Environment - international agreements
- 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
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- 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 (2011 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne disease:
- malaria
- water contact disease:
- schistosomiasis (2009)
Government
Monarchy; King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986); Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since 16 October 2008)
21 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Kingdom of Swaziland
- conventional short form:
- Swaziland
- local long form:
- Umbuso weSwatini
- local short form:
- eSwatini
Capital
- 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)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since 16 October 2008)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- none;
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- House of Assembly - last held on 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
- election results:
- House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis;
- candidates for election nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Political parties and leaders
- 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Swaziland Democracy Campaign;
- Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions;
- Swaziland Solidarity Network or SSN
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- 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
Flag description
- 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
National anthem
- 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
Economy
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population.
50 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp were major foreign exchange earners; however, the wood pulp producer closed in January 2010, and sugar is now the main export earner.
In 2007, the sugar industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports.
Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is heavily dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income.
The government has also legislated that 30% of local pension funds need to be invested in Swaziland, boosting demand for government bonds. Customs revenues plummeted due to the global economic crisis and a drop in South African imports. The resulting decline in revenue has pushed the country into a fiscal crisis.
The government has requested assistance from the IMF and from the African Development Bank. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods persist as problems for the future.
More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and more than one-quarter of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
Central bank discount rate
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.) · 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Commercial bank prime lending rate
9.75% (31 December 2010 est.) · 11.375% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Stock of narrow money
$354.6 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $317.2 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Stock of broad money
$1.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.048 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Stock of domestic credit
$425.2 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $313.7 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Current account balance
-$748.8 million (2010 est.) · -$415.1 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Exports - commodities
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Imports - commodities
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$756.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $958.9 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Debt - external
$445.6 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $417.8 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Exchange rates
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.57 (2010) · 8.42 (2009) · 7.75 (2008) · 7.4 (2007) · 6.85 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- 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)
Broadcast media
- 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)
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing) (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
- 18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
- no conscription;
- compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted (2011)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Swaziland.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/eswatini/2011.