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| Geography |
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Landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
|
| Location: |
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
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| Geographic coordinates: |
26 30 S, 31 30 E
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| Area: |
total: 17,364 sq km
land:
17,204 sq km
water:
160 sq km
Size comparison:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
|
| Land Boundaries: |
total: 535 km
border countries:
Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
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| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
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| Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
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| Climate: |
varies from tropical to near temperate
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| Terrain: |
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m
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| Natural resources: |
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
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| Land use: |
arable land: 10.25%
permanent crops:
0.81%
other:
88.94% (2005)
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| Irrigated land: |
500 sq km (2003)
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| Natural hazards: |
drought
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| Current Environment Issues: |
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
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| International Environment 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
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| People |
| Population: |
1,337,186
country comparison to the world: 152
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 2009 est.)
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| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 223,420/female 219,420)
15-64 years:
56.9% (male 308,251/female 331,623)
65 years and over:
3.7% (male 15,261/female 25,938) (2009 est.)
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| Median age: |
total: 18.8 years
male:
18.2 years
female:
19.5 years (2009 est.)
|
| Population growth rate: |
1.307% (2009 est.)
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| Birth rate: |
28.09 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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| Death rate: |
15.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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| Net migration rate: |
NA (2009 est.)
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| Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.59 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 69.74 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
73.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
65.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
|
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 47.85 years
male:
47.85 years
female:
47.85 years (2009 est.)
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| Total fertility rate: |
3.32 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
26.1% (2007 est.)
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| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
190,000 (2007 est.)
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| HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
10,000 (2007 est.)
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| Nationality: |
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective:
Swazi
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| Ethnic groups: |
African 97%, European 3%
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| Religions: |
Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
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| Languages: |
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
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| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
81.6%
male:
82.6%
female:
80.8% (2003 est.)
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| Government |
| Country name: |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form:
Swaziland
local long form:
Umbuso weSwatini
local short form:
eSwatini
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| Government type: |
monarchy
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| 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)
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| Administrative divisions: |
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
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| Independence: |
6 September 1968 (from the UK)
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| National holiday: |
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
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| Constitution: |
signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006
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| 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
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| Suffrage: |
18 years of age
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| 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
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| 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; 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
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| Judicial branch: |
High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
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| 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]
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland and Solidarity Network or SSN
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| International organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandlenkosi M. HLOPHE
chancery:
1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-5002
FAX:
[1] (202) 234-8254
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Earl M. IRVING
embassy:
2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane
mailing address:
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone:
[268] 404-2445
FAX:
[268] 404-2059
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| Economy |
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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 (SACU) account for two-thirds of Swaziland's government revenues, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. Customs revenues plummeted during the global economic crisis and Swaziland has appealed to SACU for assistance. 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.
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| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.872 billion (2009 est.)
$5.896 billion (2008 est.)
$5.741 billion (2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
|
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.929 billion (2009 est.)
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| GDP - real growth rate: |
-0.4% (2009 est.)
2.7% (2008 est.)
3.5% (2007 est.)
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| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 (2009 est.)
$4,500 (2008 est.)
$4,400 (2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
|
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 11.4%
industry:
44.6%
services:
44% (2009 est.)
|
| Labor force: |
457,900 (2007)
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| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
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| Unemployment rate: |
40% (2006 est.)
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| Population below poverty line: |
69% (2006)
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| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%:
40.7% (2001)
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| Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
50.4 (2001)
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| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.5% (2009 est.)
13.4% (2008 est.)
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| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed):
21.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
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| Budget: |
revenues: $592.2 million
expenditures:
$694.8 million (2009 est.)
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| Agriculture - products: |
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
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| Industries: |
coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel
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| Industrial production growth rate: |
-3.5% (2009 est.)
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| Electricity - production: |
441 million kWh (2007 est.)
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| Electricity - consumption: |
1.266 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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| Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2008)
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| Electricity - imports: |
770 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)
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| Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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| Oil - consumption: |
4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
|
| Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
|
| Oil - imports: |
4,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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| Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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| Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2008 est.)
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| Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2008 est.)
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| Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2008 est.)
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| Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2008 est.)
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| Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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| Current account balance: |
$-141 million (2009 est.)
$-33 million (2008 est.)
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| Exports: |
$1.57 billion (2009 est.)
$1.756 billion (2008 est.)
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| Exports - commodities: |
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
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| Imports: |
$1.643 billion (2009 est.)
$1.855 billion (2008 est.)
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| Imports - commodities: |
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
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| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$559 million (31 December 2009 est.)
$752 million (31 December 2008 est.)
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| Debt - external: |
$534 million (31 December 2009 est.)
$554 million (31 December 2008 est.)
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| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$NA
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| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$NA
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| Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$NA (31 December 2008)
$203.1 million (31 December 2007)
$199.9 million (31 December 2006)
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| Exchange rates: |
emalangeni per US dollar - 10.5 (2009), 7.75 (2008), 7.4 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005)
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: |
44,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 167
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| Cellular Phones in use: |
457,000 (2008)
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| 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 45 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)
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| Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)
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| Television broadcast stations: |
12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)
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| Internet country code: |
.sz
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| Internet hosts: |
2,609 (2009)
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| Internet users: |
48,200 (2008)
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| Transportation |
| Airports: |
14 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 148
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| Airports (paved runways): |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2009)
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| Airports (unpaved runways): |
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m:
6
under 914 m:
7 (2009)
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| Railways: |
total: 301 km
narrow gauge:
301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
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| Roadways: |
total: 3,594 km
paved:
1,078 km
unpaved:
2,516 km (2002)
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| Military |
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| Military branches: |
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing) (2008)
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| Military service age and obligation: |
18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
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| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 266,311 (2008 est.)
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| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 124,132
females age 16-49:
118,570 (2009 est.)
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