World Facts Index
 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, the world'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 political parties remain banned. 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 of Swaziland
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Location:
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Southern Africa, between
Mozambique and South Africa |
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Coordinates:
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26 30 S, 31 30 E |
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Area:
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total: 17,363 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly smaller than New
Jersey |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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varies from tropical to
near temperate |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains and hills;
some moderately sloping plains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Great
Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m |
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Natural resources:
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asbestos, coal, clay,
cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits,
quarry stone, and talc |
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Natural hazards:
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drought |
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Environment current issues:
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limited supplies of potable
water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; almost
completely surrounded by South Africa
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Population of Swaziland
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Population:
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1,128,814 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271) |
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Median age:
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18.5 years |
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Growth rate:
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-0.23% |
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Infant mortality:
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71.85 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 32.62 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 33.17 years |
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Fertility rate:
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3.53 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi |
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Ethnic groups:
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African 97%, European 3% |
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Religions:
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Zionist (a blend of Christianity and
indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30% |
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Languages:
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English (official, government business
conducted in English), siSwati (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of
Swaziland |
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Government type:
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monarchy; independent member of
Commonwealth |
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Capital:
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Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and
legislative capital |
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Administrative divisions:
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4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini,
Shiselweni |
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Independence:
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6 September 1968 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 September (1968) |
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Constitution:
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the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005
and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age |
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Executive branch:
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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
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
from among the elected members of the House of Assembly. |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed
by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10
appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the monarch |
Economy
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 remain important foreign exchange
earners. 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. Customs duties from the Southern
African Customs Union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue
this year, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement
domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough to merit an IMF
program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size of the civil
service and control costs at public enterprises. The government is trying to
improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. 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 sometimes 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 nearly two-fifths of the adult
population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
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GDP:
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$5.364 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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1.8% |
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GDP per capita:
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$5,000 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 11.9%
industry: 51.5%
services: 36.6% |
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Inflation rate:
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4% |
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Labor force:
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155,700 |
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Unemployment:
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40% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $805.6 million
expenditures: $957.1 million |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42%
other: 0% |
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Industries:
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mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink
concentrates, textile and apparel |
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Agriculture:
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sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice,
citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep |
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Exports:
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soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp,
cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit |
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Export partners:
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South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% |
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Imports:
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motor vehicles, machinery, transport
equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
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Import partners:
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South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% |
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Currency:
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lilangeni (SZL) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |