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 the monarchy (one of the oldest on the
continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.
Swaziland
recently surpassed
Botswana
as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection.
Geography of
Swaziland
Location:
Southern Africa, between
Mozambique
and
South Africa
Coordinates:
26 30 S, 31 30 E
Area:
total: 17,363 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 17,203 sq km
Area comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 535 km border countries:
Mozambique
105 km,
South Africa
430 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping
plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Great
Usutu River
21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Natural resources:
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Natural hazards:
drought
Environment current issues:
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil
erosion
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by
South
Africa
Population of
Swaziland
Population:
1,136,334 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 and death rates, lower population and
growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex
than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271)
Median age:
18.5 years
Growth rate:
-0.23%
Infant mortality:
71.85 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 32.62 years male: 32.1 years female: 33.17 years
Fertility rate:
3.53 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi
Ethnic groups:
African 97%, European 3%
Religions:
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous
ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
Languages:
English (official, government business conducted in
English), siSwati (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom
of Swaziland
Government type:
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Capital:
Mbabane;
note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Independence:
6 September 1968 (from
UK
)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Constitution:
the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005
and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: King MSWATI III head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and
20 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)
Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the monarch
Economy
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more
than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since
the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners.
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 about
nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly two-thirds of its
exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
remittances from
South Africa
substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying
to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. 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 2004-05
because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been
infected by HIV/AIDS.
