Airports [time series]

23 total, 22 usable; 1 with permanent-surfaced runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

1 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

2,853 km total; 510 km paved, 1,230 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, and 1,113 km improved earth

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

297 km plus 71 km disused, 1.067-meter gauge, single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity radio relay links; 15,400 telephones; stations--6 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force, Royal Swaziland Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

NA

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 166,537; 96,239 fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 25% of GDP and over 60% of labor force; mostly subsistence agriculture; cash crops--sugarcane, citrus fruit, cotton, pineapples; other crops and livestock--corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep; not self-sufficient in grain

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $132 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $468 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $255 million; expenditures $253 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (FY91 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

lilangeni (plural--emalangeni); 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Electricity [time series]

50,000 kW capacity; 130 million kWh produced, 170 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

emalangeni (E) per US$1--2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985); note--the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Exports [time series]

$394 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--sugar, asbestos, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit, soft drink concentrates; partners--South Africa, UK, US

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$275 million (December 1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

GNP [time series]

$539 million, per capita $750; real growth rate 5.7% (1989 est.)

Imports [time series]

$386 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, foodstuffs; partners--South Africa, US, UK

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 24% (1986)

Industries [time series]

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

17% (1989 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies much of the labor force and contributes about 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another 25% 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 one-third of its exports.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical to near temperate

Coastline [time series]

none--landlocked

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Land boundaries [time series]

535 km total; Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Land use [time series]

8% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 67% meadows and pastures; 6% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes 2% irrigated

Maritime claims [time series]

none--landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

asbestos, coal, clay, tin, hydroelelectric power, forests, and small gold and diamond deposits

Note [time series]

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Area (Total area) [time series]

17,360 km2; land area: 17,200 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital [time series]

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

no Communist party

Constitution [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA; Chancery at 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 362-6683; US--Ambassador (vacant), Deputy Chief of Mission Armajane KARAER; Embassy at Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane); telephone 22281 through 22285

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

no direct elections

Executive branch [time series]

monarch, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

6 September 1968 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986); Head of Government--Prime Minister Obed MFANYANA (since 12 July 1989)

Legal system [time series]

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament (Libandla) is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Kingdom of Swaziland

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

National holiday [time series]

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Political parties [time series]

none; banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978

Suffrage [time series]

none

Government type (Type) [time series]

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Birth rate [time series]

46 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

97% African, 3% European

Infant mortality rate [time series]

126 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

195,000; over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; about 92,000 wage earners (many only intermittently), with 36% agriculture and forestry, 20% community and social services, 14% manufacturing, 9% construction, 21% other; 24,000-29,000 employed in South Africa (1987)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English and siSwati (official); government business conducted in English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

48 years male, 55 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

67.9%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Swazi(s); adjective--Swazi

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

about 10% of wage earners

Population [time series]

778,525 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

60% Christian, 40% indigenous beliefs

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.0 children born/woman (1990)

Eswatini