Eswatini

A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and ruled by a series of kings, including MSWATI II, a 19th century ruler whose name was adopted for the country and its predominant ethnic group. European countries defined the kingdom’s modern borders during the late-19th century, and Swaziland (as it became known) was administered as a UK high commission territory from 1903 until its independence in 1968. A new constitution that came into effect in 2005 included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear, and the kingdom is still considered an absolute monarchy. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to reflect the name most commonly used by its citizens. In 2021, MSWATI III used security forces to suppress prodemocracy protests. A national dialogue and reconciliation process agreed to in the wake of violence has not materialized. In November 2023, King MSWATI III appointed a new prime minister following peaceful national elections.  Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty, corruption, and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections. Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taiwan.      

land

17,204 sq km

total

17,364 sq km

water

160 sq km

slightly smaller than New Jersey

varies from tropical to near temperate

0 km (landlocked)

highest point

Emlembe 1,862 m

lowest point

Great Usutu River 21 m

mean elevation

305 m

26 30 S, 31 30 E

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

500 sq km (2012)

border countries

Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 km

total

546 km

agricultural land

68.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.7% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Africa

none (landlocked)

drought

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

0-14 years

31.6% (male 180,328/female 179,840)

15-64 years

64.3% (male 341,298/female 390,884)

65 years and over

4% (2024 est.) (male 16,974/female 28,765)

beer

2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

5.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

22.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

5.8% (2014)

66.1% (2014)

6.5% of GDP (2020)

37.1% (2023 est.)

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – nearly 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals. Swazis, mainly men from the country’s rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a "brain drain" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today’s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping.

elderly dependency ratio

6.5

potential support ratio

15.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

64

youth dependency ratio

57.4

improved: rural

rural: 74.8% of population

improved: total

total: 80.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 25.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 19.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.5% of population

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry

1.17 (2024 est.)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

female

32.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

40.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

36.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)

female

62.8 years

male

58.7 years

total population

60.7 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88.5% (2018)

male

88.3%

total population

88.4%

68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)

437 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

25.8 years

male

23.4 years

total

24.6 years (2024 est.)

adjective

Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers

noun

liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers

-6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

16.5% (2016)

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

599,489 (2024 est.)

male

538,600

total

1,138,089

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

0.7% (2024 est.)

Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 83.9% of population

improved: total

total: 85.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 14.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.7% of population

female

12 years (2013)

male

13 years

total

13 years

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.59 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

1.8% (2020 est.)

male

16.5% (2020 est.)

total

9.2% (2020 est.)

2.37 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

24.8% of total population (2023)

4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

etymology

named after a Swati chief, Mbabane KUNENE, who lived in the area at the onset of British settlement

geographic coordinates

26 19 S, 31 08 E

name

Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

time difference

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

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

both parents must be citizens of Eswatini

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king

history

previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006

conventional long form

Kingdom of Eswatini

conventional short form

Eswatini

etymology

the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified

former

Swaziland

local long form

Umbuso weSwatini

local short form

eSwatini

note

note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant) Chargé d’Affaires Caitlin PIPER (since 27 October 2023)

email address and website

ConsularMbabane@state.govHomepage - U.S. Embassy in Eswatini (usembassy.gov)

embassy

Corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini, P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106

FAX

[268] 2416-3344

mailing address

2350 Mbabane Place, Washington DC  20521-2350

telephone

(268) 2417-9000

chancery

1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Kennedy Fitzgerald GROENING (7 June 2022)

email address and website

swaziland@compuserve.com

FAX

[1] (202) 234-8254

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5002

cabinet

Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly

chief of state

King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Russell DLAMINI (since 6 November 2023)

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

absolute monarchy

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters

judge selection and term of office

justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts

magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

description

bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of: Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms)House of Assembly (70 seats statutory, current 69; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, and 1 ex-officio member - the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 14, percentage women 46.7%House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 58, women 16, percent of women 17.14%; total Parliament percentage women 28.8%

elections

Senate - last election held on 12 October 2023 , senate fully constituted on November 5 when monarch appointed remaining 20 senators; (next to be held in 2028)House of Assembly - last held on 29 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

lyrics/music

Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT

name

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

note

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

Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)

lion, elephant; national colors: blue, yellow, red

political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:African United Democratic Party or AUDP Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA 

18 years of age

sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, potatoes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$1.183 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.217 billion (2021 est.)

Moody's rating

B3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance 2020

$270.942 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$125.318 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$140.972 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$758.868 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions

Currency

emalangeni per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

14.452 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

16.47 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.783 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

16.362 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

18.454 (2023 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.808 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$2.132 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.095 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

scented mixtures, raw sugar, garments, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, wood (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 66%, Kenya 5%, Nigeria 3%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 3%, Mozambique 3% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

43.8% (2022 est.)

government consumption

17.6% (2022 est.)

household consumption

61.7% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47.6% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

8.1% (2023 est.)

industry

33.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

53.5% (2023 est.)

$4.598 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

54.6 (2016 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

42.7% (2016 est.)

lowest 10%

1.4% (2016 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2020

$1.686 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$2.173 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.288 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, gold, plastic products, electricity, garments (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 76%, China 4%, US 3%, Mozambique 3%, Mauritania 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.53% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.22% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

4.82% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.6% (2019 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

405,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

58.9% (2016 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2021

35.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$12.164 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$12.222 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$12.814 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.68% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

0.48% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.84% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$10,200 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$10,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$10,600 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.72% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.64% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.62% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$572.282 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$452.352 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$479.261 million (2023 est.)

24.13% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

35.71% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

37.85% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

37.64% (2023 est.)

female

67.5% (2023 est.)

male

62.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

65% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

264,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

887,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

1.151 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

124,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

5,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

147,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

219,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

4.644 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

1.344 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

914.13 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

287,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

155.872 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

81.6%

electrification - total population

82.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

86.1%

biomass and waste

41.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

7.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

51.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

17.642 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

12,000 (2020 est.)

1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)

.sz

percent of population

59% (2021 est.)

total

708,000 (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 120 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Eswatini was one of the last countries in the world to open up its telecom market to competition; until 2011 the state-owned Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications also acted as the industry regulator and had a stake in the country’s sole mobile network; a new independent regulatory authority was established in late 2013 and has since embarked on significant changes to the sector; mobile market subscriptions have been affected by the common use among subscribers when they use SIM cards from different networks in order to access cheaper on-net calls; subscriber growth has slowed in recent years, but was expected to have reached 8% in 2021, as people adapted to the changing needs for connectivity caused by the pandemic; the internet sector has been open to competition with a small number of licensed ISPs; DSL services were introduced in 2008, development of the sector has been hampered by the limited fixed-line infrastructure and by a lack of competition in the access and backbone networks; Eswatini is landlocked and so depends on neighboring countries for international bandwidth; this has meant that access pricing is relatively high, and market subscriptions remains relatively low; prices have fallen recently in line with greater bandwidth availability resulting from several new submarine cable systems which have reached the region in recent years; in September 2020 a terrestrial cable linked Mozambique with Eswatini and South Africa (2022)

international

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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

38,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

122 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.468 million (2022 est.)

16 (2024)

3DC

narrow gauge

301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total

301 km (2014)

paved

1,500 km

total

4,594 km

unpaved

3,000 km (2022)

the UEDF’s primary mission is external security but it also has domestic security responsibilities, including protecting members of the royal family; the king is the UEDF commander in chief and holds the position of minister of defense, although the UEDF reports to the Army commander and principal undersecretary of defense for day-to-day operations; the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is responsible for maintaining internal security as well as migration and border crossing enforcement; it is under the prime minister, although the king is the force’s titular commissioner in chief; the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force (2023)

Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2024)

approximately 3,000 active-duty personnel (2023)

the UEDF has a light and small inventory of mostly older equipment originating from Europe, South Africa, and the US (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)

carbon dioxide emissions

1.16 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.9 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

15.07 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

varies from tropical to near temperate

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

severe localized food insecurity

due to higher staple food prices - the latest analysis indicates that nearly 259,000 people faced acute food insecurity between January and March 2023, an improvement compared to the previous year; food insecurity in 2022-23 is driven by high food prices and a slowdown in economic growth, curbing households’ income earning opportunities (2023)

agricultural land

68.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.7% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

2.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

4.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

1.01 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

24.8% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

218,199 tons (2016 est.)