Eswatini

Internet country code

.sz

Internet hosts

1,401 (2003)

Internet users

27,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

88,000 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $462.4 million expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (2003)

Currency

lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code

SZL

Current account balance

$-72.69 million (2003)

Debt - external

$320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$104 million (2001)

Economy - overview

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 three-quarters 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 2002 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS.

Electricity - consumption

962.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - production

348.3 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Exports

$905.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 16.2% industry: 43.2% services: 40.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Imports

$1.088 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

3.7% (FY95/96)

Industries

mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.1% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

NA

Oil - consumption

3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$277.5 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

34% (2000 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Irrigated land

690 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 10.35% permanent crops: 0.7% other: 88.95% (2001)

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

Administrative divisions

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital

Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Constitution

a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683 FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

Executive branch

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

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; independent member of Commonwealth

Independence

6 September 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

High Court; Court of Appeal; 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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) elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008) 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

political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age

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 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

Military branches

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$29 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 37.54 years male: 39.1 years female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

1,169,241 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 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.55% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

18 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 3,247 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (1998)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)