1998 Edition

Area

total: 17,360 sq km land: 17,200 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

varies from tropical to near temperate

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

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, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography-note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Irrigated land

670 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Land use

arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 62% forests and woodland: 7% other: 20% (1993 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 223,649; female 224,782) 15-64 years: 51% (male 238,547; female 255,137) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,625; female 14,722) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

41 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

21.4 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

African 97%, European 3%

Infant mortality rate

103.37 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 38.53 years male: 37.31 years female: 39.79 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.7% male: 78% female: 75.6% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

966,462 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.96% (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.96 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

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

Country name

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

Data code

WZ

Executive branch

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the king elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; prime minister appointed by the king

FAX

[1] (202) 244-8059 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan R. McKEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445

[268] 45959

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

Government type

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Independence

6 September 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, 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, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA chancery: Suite 3M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683

Judicial branch

High Court, judges are appointed by the king; Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the king 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 or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]; Swaziland Youth Congress or SWAYOCO (included in PUDEMO); Swaziland Communist Party or SWACOPA [Mphandlana SHONGWE]; Swaziland Liberation Front or FROLISA; Convention for Full Democracy in Swaziland or COFUDESWA [Sabelo DLAMINI]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO; Ngwane Socialist Revolutionary Party or NGWASOREP; Swaziland Democratic Alliance (represents key opposition parties) [Jerry NXUMALO]; Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions or SFTU [Jan SITHOLE]

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (20 seats, 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 10 appointed by the king; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats, 10 appointed by the king and 55 elected by secret, popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly-last held 26 September and 11 October 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: House of Assembly-balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are 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

National capital

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

National holiday

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Suffrage

NA; note-no suffrage before September 1993; 55 of the 65 seats in the House of Assembly were filled by popular vote in the elections of September and October 1993; of a population of less than 1 million, the electorate numbered 283,693

Agriculture-products

sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, corn, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Budget

revenues: $400 million expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)

Currency

1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$194 million (1995)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy-overview

In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978, and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar and wood pulp 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 nearly 90% of its imports and to which it sends more than half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines supplement domestically earned income by as much as 20%. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, and drought persist as problems for the future.

Electricity-capacity

130,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,062 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

407 million kWh (1995) note: imports 60% of its electricity from South Africa

Exchange rates

emalangeni (E) per US$1-4.9417 (January 1998), 4.5998 (1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993); note-the Swazi emalangeni are at par with the South African rand

Exports

total value: $893 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn (1995) partners: South Africa 58%, EU 20%, Mozambique 6% (1994)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$3.9 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 10% industry: 42% services: 48% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$3,800 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3% (19976 est.)

Imports

total value: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1995) partners: South Africa 88%, Japan, UK, US (FY94/95)

Industrial production growth rate

3.7% (FY95/96)

Industries

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates

Inflation rate-consumer price index

9.5% (1997)

Labor force

total: 135,000 (1996) by occupation: private sector about 70%, public sector about 30%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios

129,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

30,364 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

10

Televisions

12,500 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

22% (1995 est.)

Airports

18 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 2,885 km paved: 814 km unpaved: 2,071 km (1994 est.) Ports and harbors: none

Railways

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

Military branches

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$22 million (FY93/94)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 215,708 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 125,580 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

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