1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 227,675; female 228,733) 15-64 years: 51% (male 243,853; female 259,950) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,866; female 15,258) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
40.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
21.72 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
African 97%, European 3%
Infant mortality rate
101.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 38.11 years male: 36.86 years female: 39.4 years (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Population
985,335 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.91% (1999 est.)
Religions
Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.92 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Capital
Mbabane; note--Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Constitution
none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled but so far none have been accepted
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 monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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, OPCW, 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 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
Judicial branch
High Court, judges are appointed by the monarch; Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the monarch 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: People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO
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 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) elections: House of Assembly--last held NA September and NA October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) 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 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
Economy
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
$175 million (1998)
Economic aid--recipient
$55 million (1995)
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 all 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--consumption
986 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
571 million kWh (1996) note: imports about 60% of its electricity from South Africa
Electricity--production
415 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 49.4% hydro: 50.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
emalangeni (E) per US$1--5.9812 (January 1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994); note--the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand
Exports
$972 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, citrus and canned fruit (1996)
Exports--partners
South Africa 58%, EU 17%, Mozambique, North Korea (1995)
Fiscal year
1 April--31 March
GDP
purchasing power parity--$4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 10% industry: 42% services: 48% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$4,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
2.6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)
Imports--partners
South Africa 96%, Japan, UK, Singapore (FY95/96)
Industrial production growth rate
3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries
mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8% (1998)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
private sector about 70%, public sector about 30%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
22% (1995 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios
200,000 (1998 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
NA; 45,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations
2 (in addition, there are seven repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
20,000 (1998 est.)
Transportation
Airports
18 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 3,810 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1996 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 and Security
Military branches
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$23 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.9% (FY95/96)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 221,199 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 128,806 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
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