1995 Edition

Area

total area: 17,360 sq km land area: 17,200 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

varies from tropical to near temperate

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: limited access to potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea

International disputes

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Irrigated land

640 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total 535 km, Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Land use

arable land: 10.9% permanent crops: 0.2% meadows and pastures: 62.2% forest and woodland: 6.9% other: 19.8%

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Natural resources

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

Note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (female 222,544; male 221,003) 15-64 years: 52% (female 261,973; male 238,726) 65 years and over: 2% (female 13,291; male 9,440) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

43.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

10.8 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 97%, European 3%

Infant mortality rate

90.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

NA by occupation: private sector about 65%, public sector 35%

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 56.84 years male: 52.83 years female: 60.96 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 67% male: 70% female: 65%

Nationality

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

966,977 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

3.23% (1995 est.)

Religions

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Total fertility rate

6.1 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Constitution

none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

Digraph

WZ

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Madzandza Mary KHANYA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683, 6685

Executive branch

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993) cabinet: Cabinet; designated by the monarch

FAX

[1] (202) 244-8059

[268] 45959

Flag

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

House of Assembly

elections last held NA October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - NA; seats - (65 total, 55 directly elected, 10 appointed by the king) - balloting held on a non-party basis

Independence

6 September 1968 (from UK)

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal

Legal system

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament is advisory

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland

National holiday

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Political parties and leaders

note: political parties are banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings illegal parties: Peoples' United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Kilson SHONOWE; Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYCO), Benedict TSABEDZE; Swaziland Communist Party (SWACOPA), Mphandlana SHONGWE

Senate

consists of 30 members (10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the king)

Suffrage

none

Type

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador John T. SPROTT embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445

Agriculture

accounts for over 60% of labor force; mostly subsistence agriculture; cash crops - sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus fruit, pineapples; other crops and livestock - corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep; not self-sufficient in grain

Budget

revenues: $342 million expenditures: $410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (1994 est.)

Currency

1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: bilateral aid (1991) $35 million of which US disbursements $12 million, UK disbursements $6 million, and Denmark $2 million; multilateral aid (1991) $24 million of which EC disbursements $8 million

Electricity

capacity: 120,000 kW production: 410 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,003 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.5389 (January 1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990); note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Exports

$632 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar, edible concentrates, wood pulp, cotton yarn, asbestos partners: South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada

External debt

$240 million (1992)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Imports

$734 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals partners: South Africa 90% (est.), Switzerland, UK

Industrial production

growth rate 4.2% (1993 est.)

Industries

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.3% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$3,490 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

4.5% (1994 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies more than 60% of the population and contributes nearly 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa, from which it receives 90% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines may supplement domestically produced income by as much as 20%.

Unemployment rate

15% (1992 est.)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

17,000 telephones; telephone density is only 17.6 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity radio relay microwave links international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 10 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 18 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8

Highways

total: 2,853 km paved: 510 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 1,230 km; improved earth 1,113 km

Ports

none

Railroads

total: 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge (single track)

Branches

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $22 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94) ________________________________________________________________________ SWEDEN

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 212,239; males fit for military service 122,782 (1995 est.)