1983 Edition

Agriculture

main crops — rice, sugarcane, bananas

main crops — maize, cotton, rice, sugar, and citrus fruits

Aid

economic — bilateral commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-82)— US, $2.4 million, (1970-81), Western (non-US) countries, $1.057 billion; no military aid

economic commitments — Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (197081), $194 million; US (FY70-82), $64 million

Airfields

32 total, 32 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,2202,439 m

27 total, 27 usable; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

National Army (including Infantry Battalion, Military Police "Brigade Navy" [company-size], Air Force)

constitution was repealed and Parliament dissolved by King Sobhuza II (deceased August 1982) in April 1973; new bicameral Parliament (Senate, House of Assembly) formally opened in January 1979; 80-member electoral college chose 40 members of lower house and 10 members of upper house; additional 10 members for each house chosen by King; executive authority vested in the King or Queen (with the advice of the Supreme Council of State) whose assent is required before parliamentary acts become law; King's authority exercised through Prime Minister and Cabinet who must be members of Parliament; judiciary is part of Ministry of Justice but otherwise independent of executive and legislative branches; cases from subordinate courts can be appealed to the High Court and the Court of Appeal

Swaziland Umbutfo Defense Force, Royal Swaziland Police Force

Budget

revenue, $289 million; expenditure, $441 million (1982)

1981/82— revenue $189.1 million, current expenditure $189.9 million

Capital

Mbabane (administrative)

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

6 major transport aircraft

Communists

no Communist party

Electric power

400,000 kW capacity (1983); 1.0 billion kWh produced (1983), 2,835 kWh per capita

80,000 kW capacity (1983); 125 million kWh produced (1983), 200 kWh per capita; also imports 200 million kWh from South Africa

Ethnic divisions

96% African, 3% European, 1% mulatto

Exports

$429 million (f.o.b., 1982); alumina, bauxite, aluminum, rice, wood and wood products Jmports:$51l million (c.i.f., 1982); capital equipment, petroleum, iron and steel, cotton, flour, meat, dairy products

$306.1 million (f.o.b., 1982); sugar, asbestos, wood and forest products, citrus, and canned fruit

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

$1.044 billion (1980); $2,916 per capita (1980); real growth rate 0.5-1.0% (1981)

Government leaders

Head of State, Ntombi THWALA, Queen Regent; Prince Bhekimpi DLAMINI, Prime Minister; Prince Sozisa DLAMINI, traditional authorized person

Highways

8,800 km total; 1,000 km paved, 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth

2,853 km total; 510 km paved, 1,230 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, and 1,1 13 km improved earth

Imports

$501.0 million (f.o.b., 1982); motor vehicles, chemicals, petroleum products, and foodstuffs

Inland waterways

4,500 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging from 4.2 m to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways while native canoes navigate upper reaches

Labor force

195,000; over 60, 000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; 55,000-60,000 wage earners, many only intermittently, with 36% agriculture and forestry, 20% community and social services, 14% manufacturing, 9% construction, 21% other; 12,000 em ployed in South Africa (1982)

Land boundaries

435 km People

Language

English and siSwati (official); government business conducted in English

Legal system

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; legal education at University of Botswana and Swaziland; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Literacy

65%

Major industries

bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing

Major industry

mining

Major trade partners

exports — 41% US, 33% EC, 12% other European countries; imports—33% EC, 31% US, 16% Caribbean countries (1977)

South Africa, UK, US; member of South African Customs Union

Member of

EC (official), ECLA, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, IDE— Inter-American Development Bank, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Economy

AfDB, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO Economy GDP. approximately $500.0 million (1982), about $880 per capita; annual real growth 1.7% (1979-82)

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 March 1981, $18.5 million; 7.2% of the central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 69,000; 42,000 fit for military service lESBTiSH / = ' 'SSS Land 17,363 km2; mostly crop or pasture

males 15-49, 140,000; 81,000 fit for military service

Monetary conversion rate

1.785 Suriname guilders=US$l (February 1984)

the Swazi lilangeni exchanges at par with the South African rand; 1.22 emalangeni=US$l (30 December 1983)

National holiday

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September

Nationality

noun — Swazi(s); adjective — Swazi

Official name

Kingdom of Swaziland

Organized labor

about 15% of wage earners are unionized Government

Political subdivisions

4 administrative districts

Population

651,000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 3.0%

Ports

1 major (Paramaribo), 6 minor

Railroads

166 km total; 86 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned, and 80km 1.435meter standard gauge; all single track

455 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track

Religion

57% Christian, 43% indigenous beliefs

Suffrage

universal for adults

Telecommunications

international facilities good; domestic radio-relay system; 21,300 telephones (6.1 per 100 popl.); 6 AM, 10 FM, and 6 TV stations; 2 Atlantic satellite stations (several AM stations destroyed or put off the air in late 1982) Defense Forces

system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low capacity radio-relay links; 12,030 telephones (2.2 per 100 popl.); 4 AM, 8 FM, and 11 TV stations; Atlantic Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

Type

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth since September 1968