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; 1 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]

$8 million, 1.3% of GDP (1988)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 185,562; 107,254 fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 23% 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

Budget [time series]

revenues $322.9 million; expenditures $325.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $142 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $488 million

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--2.5625 (January 1991), 2.5863 (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]

$543 million (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit; partners--South Africa 40% (est.), EC, Canada

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$290 million (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

GNP [time series]

$563 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.)

Imports [time series]

$651 million (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals; partners--South Africa 92% (est.), Japan, Belgium, UK

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

growth rate NA; accounts for 26% of GDP (1989)

Industries [time series]

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

13% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies much of the labor force and contributes about 23% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another 26% 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 92% of its imports and to which it sends about 40% 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]

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

Maritime claims [time series]

none--landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

asbestos, coal, clay, tin, hydropower, 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 Stephen H. ROGERS; Embassy at Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane); telephone [268] 46441 through 5

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 DLAMINI (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 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, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

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]

44 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 97%, European 3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

101 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

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

51 years male, 59 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

55% (male 57%, female 54%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

- 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

about 10% of wage earners

Population [time series]

859,336 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.2 children born/woman (1991)

Eswatini