Eswatini
monarchyIndependence 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Eswatini as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 110 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
22 fieldstotal area
17,360 sq km
land area
17,200 sq km
comparative area
slightly smaller than New Jersey
International disputes
Swaziland wants to reincorporate territory along the South African border; Mbabane has asked South Africa to open negotiations on border adjustments
Natural resources
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
arable land
8%
permanent crops
NA%
meadows and pastures
67%
forest and woodland
6%
other
NA%
current issues
- limited access to safe drinking water presents human health risks;
- wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
- overgrazing;
- soil degradation;
- soil erosion
natural hazards
NA
international agreements
party to - Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
People
21 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1994 est.)
total population
56.39 years
male
52.4 years
female
60.5 years (1994 est.)
noun
Swazi(s)
adjective
Swazi
total population
67%
male
70%
female
65%
by occupation
private sector about 65%, public sector 35%
Government
Monarchy
28 fieldsconventional long form
Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form
Swaziland
Constitution
- none;
- constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended on 12 April 1973;
- a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people
Legal system
- based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
chief of state
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government
Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993)
cabinet
Cabinet; designated by the monarch
Legislative branch
- bicameral Parliament is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly;
- the 30 members of the Senate are appointed - 10 by the House of Assembly and 20 by the king;
- the members of the House are elected by popular vote;
- last election held in October 1993
Member of
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
chief of mission
Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA
chancery
3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
chief of mission
Ambassador John SPROTT
embassy
Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
Flag
- 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
Economy
25 fieldsOverview
The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies more than 60% of the population and contributes nearly 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years;
high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted in 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa, from which it receives 90% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports.
revenues
$342 million
expenditures
$410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (1994 est.)
commodities
sugar, edible concentrates, wood pulp, canned fruit, citrus
partners
South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada
commodities
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
partners
South Africa 90% (est.), Switzerland, UK
capacity
60,000 kW
production
198 million kWh (1991)
consumption per capita
180 kWh (1991)
Agriculture
- accounts for 23% of GDP and over 60% of labor force;
- mostly subsistence agriculture;
- cash crops - sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus fruit, pineapples;
- other crops and livestock - corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep;
- not self-sufficient in grain
recipient
- bilateral aid (1991) $35 million of which US disbursements $12 million, UK disbursements $6 million, and Denmark $2 million;
- multilateral aid (1991) $24 million of which EC disbursements $8 million
Exchange rates
- emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.4551 (March 1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989);
- note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand
Communications
11 fieldstotal
2,853 km
paved
510 km
unpaved
crushed stone, gravel, stabilized earth 1,230 km; improved earth 1,113 km
total
23
usable
21
with permanent-surface runways
1
with runways over 3,659 m
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
1
Telecommunications
- system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity microwave links;
- 17,000 telephones;
- broadcast stations - 7 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV;
- 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force, Royal Swaziland Police Force
3 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Swaziland.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/eswatini/1994.