Swaziland

Swaziland

Introduction

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 King MSWATI III, Africa’s last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world’s highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Geography

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 17,364 sq km
country comparison to the world: 159 land:17,204 sq km
water:160 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

Land use

arable land: 10.25%
permanent crops:0.81%
other:88.94% (2005)

Irrigated land

500 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

4.5 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.04cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)
per capita:1,010cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

drought

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:Law of the Sea

Geography – note

landlocked

almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Swazi(s)
adjective:Swazi

Ethnic groups

African 97%, European 3%

Languages

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

Religions

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

Population

1,370,424 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 261,762/female 255,828)
15-64 years:58.6% (male 399,746/female 403,681)
65 years and over:3.6% (male 20,472/female 28,935) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 20.3 years
male:19.9 years
female:20.7 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.204% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97

Birth rate

26.63 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51

Death rate

14.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Urbanization

urban population: 21% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:1.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

MBABANE (capital) 74,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.72 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

420 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 33

Infant mortality rate

total: 63.09 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 27 male:67.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female:58.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 48.66 years
country comparison to the world: 217 male:48.93 years
female:48.39 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.11 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Health expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 97

Physicians density

0.16 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
country comparison to the world: 156

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 98

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 92% of population
rural: 61% of population
total: 69% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8% of population
rural: 39% of population
total: 31% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 61% of population
rural: 53% of population
total: 55% of population
unimproved:
urban: 39% of population
rural: 47% of population
total: 45% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

25.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

180,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29

HIV/AIDS – deaths

7,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:malaria
water contact disease:schistosomiasis (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.1% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 78

Education expenditures

7.8% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 12

Literacy

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male:11 years
female:10 years (2007)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form:Swaziland
local long form:Umbuso weSwatini
local short form:eSwatini

Government type

monarchy

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)

Administrative divisions

4 districts

Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution

signed by the King July 2005

went into effect 8 February 2006

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:none

the monarchy is hereditary

prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly

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

members to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats

10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote

members to serve five-year terms)
elections:House of Assembly – last held on 19 September 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:House of Assembly – balloting is done on a nonparty basis

candidates for election 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

Judicial branch

High Court

Supreme Court

judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders

the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Swaziland Democracy Campaign

Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions

Swaziland Solidarity Network or SSN

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Abednigo Mandla NTSHANGASE
chancery:1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:[1] (202) 234-5002
FAX:[1] (202) 234-8254

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

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

National symbol(s)

lion

elephant

National anthem

name: “Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati” (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)
lyrics/music:Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT
note:adopted 1968

the anthem uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

Economy

Economy – overview

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 were major foreign exchange earners

however, the wood pulp producer closed in January 2010, and sugar is now the main export earner. 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. The government is heavily dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government has also legislated that 30% of local pension funds need to be invested in Swaziland, boosting demand for government bonds. Customs revenues plummeted due to the global economic crisis and a drop in South African imports. The resulting decline in revenue has pushed the country into a fiscal crisis. The government has requested assistance from the IMF and from the African Development Bank. 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 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 more than one-quarter of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.067 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156 $5.949 billion (2009 est.)
$5.881 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.553 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150 1.2% (2009 est.)
3.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$4,500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153 $4,400 (2009 est.)
$4,500 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 7.4%
industry:49.4%
services:43.2% (2010 est.)

Labor force

457,900 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 155

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 70%
industry:NA%
services:NA%

Unemployment rate

40% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185

Population below poverty line

69% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%:40.7% (2001)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

50.4 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 22

Investment (gross fixed)

16.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Budget

revenues: $970.6 million
expenditures:$1.517 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-15.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142 7.4% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.75% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91 11.375% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$354.6 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164 $317.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152 $1.048 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$425.2 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169 $313.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 114 $203.1 million (31 December 2007)
$199.9 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture – products

sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts

cattle, goats, sheep

Industries

coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity – production

470 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity – consumption

1.207 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009)

Electricity – imports

756 million kWh

note – electricity supplied by South Africa (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Oil – consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

Oil – imports

4,464 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Current account balance

-$748.8 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124 -$415.1 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$1.764 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137 $1.66 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Imports

$2.053 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154 $1.781 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$756.3 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142 $958.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$445.6 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166 $417.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$NA

Exchange rates

emalangeni per US dollar -
7.57 (2010)
8.42 (2009)
7.75 (2008)
7.4 (2007)
6.85 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

15 (2010)
country comparison to the world:146

Airports – with paved runways

total: 2
over 3,047 m:1
2,438 to 3,047 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 13
914 to 1,523 m:6
under 914 m:7 (2010)

Railways

total: 301 km
country comparison to the world: 120 narrow gauge:301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 3,594 km
country comparison to the world: 160 paved:1,078 km
unpaved:2,516 km (2002)

Military

Military branches

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing) (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service

no conscription

compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 344,038 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 201,853
females age 16-49:175,477 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 16,168
female:15,763 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 18

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa