2008 Edition

Background

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but political parties remain banned. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Area

total: 17,363 sq km land: 17,203 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%) per capita: 1,010 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Irrigated land

500 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 10.25% permanent crops: 0.81% other: 88.94% (2005)

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

drought

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

Total renewable water resources

4.5 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.9% (male 226,947/female 222,922) 15-64 years: 56.5% (male 306,560/female 331,406) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 15,594/female 25,385) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

26.6 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

30.7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

7% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

African 97%, European 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

17,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

220,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 69.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 72.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 31.99 years male: 31.69 years female: 32.3 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Median age

total: 18.7 years male: 18 years female: 19.4 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

1,128,814 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.41% (2008 est.)

Religions

Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.34 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital

name: Mbabane geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Constitution

signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland local long form: Umbuso weSwatini local short form: eSwatini

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Maurice S. PARKER embassy: 2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-2445

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002

Executive branch

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since 16 October 2008) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 234-8254

[268] 404-2059

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

Independence

6 September 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

Legal system

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013) 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

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Political parties and leaders

the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland and Solidarity Network or SSN

Suffrage

18 years of age

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.13 billion expenditures: $1.143 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

11% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.17% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code

SZL

Current account balance

-$24 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$524 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.4 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient

$46.03 million (2005)

Economy - overview

In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary policy to South Africa. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue this year, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough to merit an IMF program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size of the civil service and control costs at public enterprises. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

Electricity - consumption

1.2 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

872 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007)

Electricity - production

460 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

emalangeni per US dollar - 7.4 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)

Exports

$1.926 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners

South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2006)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11.8% industry: 45.7% services: 42.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.3% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.936 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.364 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)

Imports

$1.914 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners

South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2007 est.)

Industries

coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

300,000 (2006)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$196.8 million (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,490 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

3,530 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

69% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$762.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$204.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$244.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$529.4 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

40% (2006 est.)

Internet country code

.sz

Internet hosts

2,582 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (2002)

Internet users

42,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios

170,000 (1999)

Telephone system

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 40 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

44,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

380,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)

Televisions

23,000 (2000)

Airports

18 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2007)

Railways

total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 3,594 km paved: 1,078 km unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 266,311 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 122,260 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 15,951 female: 15,728 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF)

Ground Force (includes air wing) (2008)

Disputes - international

in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008