2023 Edition

Background

A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and ruled by a series of kings including MSWATI II, a 19th century ruler whose appellation was adopted to become the name of the country and its predominant ethnic group. The kingdom’s modern borders were defined by European countries during the late-19th century and Swaziland (as it became known) was administered as a UK high commission territory from 1903 until its independence in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2005, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear, and the kingdom is still considered an absolute monarchy. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to reflect the name most commonly used by its citizens. In 2021, MSWATI III used security forces to suppress prodemocracy protests. A national dialogue and reconciliation process agreed to in the wake of violence has not materialized. In November 2023, King MSWATI III appointed a new Prime Minister following peaceful national elections.  Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty, corruption, and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections. Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taiwan.      

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

32.16% (male 181,886/female 181,491)

15-64 years

63.88% (male 336,243/female 385,599)

65 years and over

3.97% (2023 est.) (male 16,654/female 28,170)

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

22.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.8% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.1% (2014)

Current health expenditure

6.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

37.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 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 – nearly 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

Gross reproduction rate

1.19 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

33.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

42.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

38.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.3 years

male

58.2 years

total population

60.2 years (2023 est.)

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 (2023)

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

25.5 years

male

23.1 years

total

24.4 years (2023 est.)

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

-6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.5% (2016)

Physicians density

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

1,130,043 (2023 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

0.72% (2023 est.)

Religions

Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 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

15-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.59 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.8% (2020 est.)

male

16.5% (2020 est.)

total

9.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.41 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

24.8% of total population (2023)

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 (vacant) Charges d'Affaires Caitlin PIPER (since 27 October 2023)

email address and website

MBACONSULAR@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@eswatini-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 Russell Mmiso DLAMINI (since 3 November 2023)  

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 69; 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, one each representing each region, 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 17, women 13, percent of women 43% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 58, women 12, percent of women 17.14%; note - total Parliament percent of women 4.1%

elections

Senate - last election held on 12 October 2023 , senate fully constituted on November 5 when monarch appointed remaining 20 senators; (next to be held in 2028)House of Assembly - last held on 29 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028)  

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 [Stanley S. MALINDZISA]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

$1.454 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$1.131 billion (2020 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 2019

$176.144 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$270.942 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$124.463 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$456 million (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$535 million (2019 est.)

Economic overview

landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions

Exchange rates

Currency

emalangeni per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

13.324 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

13.234 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

14.452 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

16.47 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.783 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.048 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$1.808 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$2.132 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

carbonated drink mixtures, sugar, gold, industrial additives, clothing, lumber (2021)

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 2019

$1.924 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$1.686 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$2.173 billion (2021 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

15.38% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.22% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

4.82% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.6% (2019 est.)

Labor force

383,500 (2021 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) 2019

$9.943 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$9.788 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$10.56 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.7% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-1.56% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.88% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$8,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$8,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$8,900 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$440,314,200 (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$545,564,200 (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$572,281,500 (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

22.84% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

25.51% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

25.76% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

54.1%

male

47.7%

total

50.9% (2021 est.)

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

79.1% (2021)

electrification - total population

82.9% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

94.5% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

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

59% (2021 est.)

total

708,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 120 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

46,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

120 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1.4 million (2021 est.)

Airports

14 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

12

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

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’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; the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force (2023)

Military and security forces

Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2023)

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 older equipment from Europe, South Africa, and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

2.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

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

Eswatini has stable relations with South Africa but claims large sections of South African territory based on the historic extent of Swazi control during the early 19th century; despite periodic negotiations, there has been little progress in resolving the dispute 

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Eswatini does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; Eswatini established multi-agency emergency response teams to respond to trafficking victim identification; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; the lack of government coordination and leadership of the Prevention of People Trafficking and Smuggling Secretariat continued to hinder efforts; the government did not allocate funding for the Prevention of People Trafficking and People Smuggling Task Force to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts; the lack of specialized training for front-line officers continued to hamper efforts; serious allegations of trafficking and victim abuse by senior government officials have remained pending for multiple years; the first shelter for victims refurbished in collaboration with foreign donor support remained inoperative for the second consecutive year; therefore, Eswatini remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Eswatini, and traffickers exploit victims from Eswatini abroad; traffickers target vulnerable communities, particularly those with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates; Swati girls, particularly orphans, are exploited in sex trafficking and domestic servitude, primarily in Eswatini and South Africa; some Swati girls in forced domestic work are physically and sexually abused by their employers, and sex traffickers exploit orphaned girls in exchange for food and money; Swati boys and foreign children are forced into labor in agriculture, cattle herding, and market vending within Eswatini; some Mozambican boys who migrate to Eswatini for work are exploited by traffickers in forced labor; Cuban nationals on medical missions in Eswatini may have been forced to work by the Cuban government; traffickers use Eswatini as a transit country to move foreign victims, primarily Mozambicans, to South Africa for forced labor; some Mozambican women reportedly are forced into commercial sex in Eswatini or transported to South Africa; some Swati people, including orphaned girls and girls from poor families who voluntarily migrate in search of work—particularly in South Africa—are exploited in sex trafficking; Swati men recruited in border communities are exploited in forced labor in South Africa’s timber industry (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.16 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.9 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

15.07 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 latest analysis indicates that nearly 259,000 people faced acute food insecurity between January and March 2023, an improvement compared to the previous year; food insecurity in 2022-23 is driven by high food prices and a slowdown in economic growth, curbing households’ income earning opportunities (2023)

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.)

Revenue from coal

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

2.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

4.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.01 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

40 million cubic meters (2020 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.)