2022 Edition

Background

Autonomy for Eswatini was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2006, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in April 2018. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections.        

Area

land

17,204 sq km

total

17,364 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

highest point

Emlembe 1,862 m

lowest point

Great Usutu River 21 m

mean elevation

305 m

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Irrigated land

500 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 km

total

546 km

Land use

agricultural land

68.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.7% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

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

Population distribution

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Age structure

0-14 years

33.63% (male 185,640/female 185,808)

15-24 years

18.71% (male 98,029/female 108,654)

25-54 years

39.46% (male 202,536/female 233,275)

55-64 years

4.36% (male 20,529/female 27,672)

65 years and over

3.83% (male 15,833/female 26,503) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

5.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

23.35 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.8% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.1% (2014)

Current health expenditure

6.8% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

9.71 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – more than 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals.Swazis, mainly men from the country’s rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a "brain drain" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today’s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.5

potential support ratio

15.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

64

youth dependency ratio

57.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 74.8% of population

improved: total

total: 80.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 25.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 19.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.5% of population

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

27.9% (2021 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

35.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

43.89 deaths/1,000 live births

total

39.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.81 years (2022 est.)

male

57.62 years

total population

59.69 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88.5% (2018)

male

88.3%

total population

88.4%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

437 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

24.7 years (2020 est.)

male

22.5 years

total

23.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers

noun

liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers

Net migration rate

-6.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.5% (2016)

Physicians density

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

1,121,761 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

0.75% (2022 est.)

Religions

Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 83.9% of population

improved: total

total: 85.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 14.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.7% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2013)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.91 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.73 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.48 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.8% (2020 est.)

male

16.5% (2020 est.)

total

9.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.44 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

24.8% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

50% (2016)

male

44.2%

total

47.1%

Administrative divisions

4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital

etymology

named after a Swati chief, Mbabane KUNENE, who lived in the area at the onset of British settlement

geographic coordinates

26 19 S, 31 08 E

name

Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

both parents must be citizens of Eswatini

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king

history

previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Eswatini

conventional short form

Eswatini

etymology

the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified

former

Swaziland

local long form

Umbuso weSwatini

local short form

eSwatini

note

note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeanne M. MALONEY (since 4 March 2021)

email address and website

ConsularMbabane@state.govhttps://sz.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini, P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106

FAX

[268] 2416-3344

mailing address

2350 Mbabane Place, Washington DC  20521-2350

telephone

(268) 2417-9000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Kennedy Fitzgerald GROENING (7 June 2022)

email address and website

embassy@swaziland-usa.com; swaziland@compuserve.com

FAX

[1] (202) 234-8254

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5002

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly

chief of state

King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Cleopas DLAMINI (since since 19 July 2021); Deputy Prime Minister Themba MASUKU (since 6 November 2018)

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; blue stands for peace and stability, red represents past struggles, and yellow the mineral resources of the country; the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from the country's enemies, while the black and white of the shield are meant to portray black and white people living in peaceful coexistence

Government type

absolute monarchy

Independence

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters

judge selection and term of office

justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts

magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament (Libandla) consists of: Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms)House of Assembly (70 seats statutory, current 74; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, 4 women elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30%, and 1 ex-officio member - the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 18, women 12, percent of women 40% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 65, women 9, percent of women 12.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.2%

elections

Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023)House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT

name

"Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)

note

note: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

National holiday

Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)

National symbol(s)

lion, elephant; national colors: blue, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI]Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Sibongile MAZIBUKO]People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mlungisi MAKHANYA]Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]

Suffrage

18 years of age

Agricultural products

sugar cane, maize, roots/tubers nes, grapefruit, oranges, milk, beef, potatoes, vegetables, bananas

Budget

expenditures

1.639 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.263 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$642 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$604 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$456 million (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$535 million (2019 est.)

Economic overview

A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the north, west and south by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the east. Eswatini depends on South Africa for a majority of its exports and imports. Eswatini's currency is pegged to the South African rand, effectively relinquishing Eswatini's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for almost half of its revenue. Eswatini is a lower middle income country. As of 2017, more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Eswatini has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate, a financial strain and source of economic instability.   The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and soft drink concentrate are the largest foreign exchange earners, although a drought in 2015-16 decreased sugar production and exports. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods are persistent problems. Mining has declined in importance in recent years. Coal, gold, diamond, and quarry stone mines are small scale, and the only iron ore mine closed in 2014. With an estimated 28% unemployment rate, Eswatini's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute.   Eswatini's national development strategy, which expires in 2022, prioritizes increases in infrastructure, agriculture production, and economic diversification, while aiming to reduce poverty and government spending. Eswatini's revenue from SACU receipts are likely to continue to decline as South Africa pushes for a new distribution scheme, making it harder for the government to maintain fiscal balance without introducing new sources of revenue.

Exchange rates

Currency

emalangeni per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

10.8469 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

12.7581 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

14.6924 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

14.6924 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

14.44 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$1.9 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2019

$2.07 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$1.81 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

South Africa 94% (2017)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

47.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

21.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

64% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-46.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.5% (2017 est.)

industry

45% (2017 est.)

services

48.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.484 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

54.6 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.1% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

1.7%

Imports

Imports 2018

$2.07 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$1.93 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$1.7 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 81.6%, China 5.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2017 est.)

Industries

soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

7.8% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.2% (2017 est.)

Labor force

427,900 (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

10.7%

industry

30.4%

services

58.9% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

58.9% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

25.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

28.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$9.68 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$9.9 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$9.74 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

0.4% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

1.4% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

1.6% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$8,500 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$8,600 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$8,400 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$564.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$563.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2013

28% (2013 est.)

Unemployment rate 2014

28% (2014 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

50% (2016)

male

44.2%

total

47.1%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

350,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

875,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.224 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

169,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

163,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

135,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

108,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

144 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1,448,308,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

942 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

286,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

154.7 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

87% (2019)

electrification - total population

90% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

98% (2019)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

31% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

44.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

24.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

19.371 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,279 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

12,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)

Internet country code

.sz

Internet users

percent of population

47% (2019 est.)

total

539,623 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

Eswatini has 2 mobile-cellular providers; communication infrastructure has a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscriber base; fixed-line stands at nearly 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 107 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay (2020)

general assessment

Eswatini was one of the last countries in the world to open up its telecom market to competition; until 2011 the state-owned Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications also acted as the industry regulator and had a stake in the country’s sole mobile network; a new independent regulatory authority was established in late 2013 and has since embarked on significant changes to the sector; mobile market subscriptions have been affected by the common use among subscribers when they use SIM cards from different networks in order to access cheaper on-net calls; subscriber growth has slowed in recent years, but was expected to have reached 8% in 2021, as people adapted to the changing needs for connectivity caused by the pandemic; the internet sector has been open to competition with a small number of licensed ISPs; DSL services were introduced in 2008, development of the sector has been hampered by the limited fixed-line infrastructure and by a lack of competition in the access and backbone networks; Eswatini is landlocked and so depends on neighboring countries for international bandwidth; this has meant that access pricing is relatively high, and market subscriptions remains relatively low; prices have fallen recently in line with greater bandwidth availability resulting from several new submarine cable systems which have reached the region in recent years; in September 2020 a terrestrial cable linked Mozambique with Eswatini and South Africa (2022)

international

country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

39,000 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

107 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

1.243 million (2020 est.)

Airports

total

14 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2021)

over 3,047 m

1

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

12

under 914 m

7 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

3DC

Railways

narrow gauge

301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total

301 km (2014)

Roadways

total

3,769 km (2019)

Military - note

the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force; the UEDF’s primary mission is external security but it also has domestic security responsibilities, including protecting members of the royal family; the king is the UEDF commander in chief and holds the position of minister of defense, although the UEDF reports to the Army commander and principal undersecretary of defense for day-to-day operations; the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is responsible for maintaining internal security as well as migration and border crossing enforcement; it is under the prime minister, although the king is the force’s titular commissioner in chief (2022)

Military and security forces

Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing) (2022)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,000 active duty personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the UEDF is lightly armed with mostly South African material; it has received small amounts of secondhand equipment since 2010 (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

2.1% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $140 million)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $150 million)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $140 million)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2021)

Disputes - international

in 2006, Swati king advocated resorting to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.16 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.9 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

16.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

varies from tropical to near temperate

Environment - current issues

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to higher staple food prices - the price of maize meal, the key food staple, increased in the first five months of 2022 and, as of May 2022, were 3 percent higher on a yearly basis; wheat flour prices were also at record highs in May 2022; this mainly reflects the elevated global prices and the country’s high dependence on imported wheat to satisfy national consumption needs (2022)

Land use

agricultural land

68.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.7% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

2.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

4.51 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.006 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

20.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

41.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

24.8% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

218,199 tons (2016 est.)