Airports [time series]

total: 23 usable: 21 with permanent-surfaced 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

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 microwave links; 17,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 7 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]

exchange rate conversion - $22 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 197,214; fit for military service 114,097 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $342 million; expenditures $410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (FY94 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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 (1970-89), $518 million

Electricity [time series]

60,000 kW capacity; 155 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.1576 (May 1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988); note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Exports [time series]

$575 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit partners: South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$290 million (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$730 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals partners: South Africa 75% (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% (1991 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $700 million (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$800 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2.5% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies most of the labor force 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 75% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 17,360 km2 land area: 17,200 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical to near temperate

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

620 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 67% forest and woodland: 6% other: 19%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Note [time series]

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital [time series]

Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

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

Digraph [time series]

WZ

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 362-6683

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

direct legislative elections rescheduled for June 1993

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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) Head of Government: Prime Minister Obed Mfanyana 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

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, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [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

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen H. ROGERS embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445 FAX: [268] 45959

Birth rate [time series]

43.22 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

11.41 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 97%, European 3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

95.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

195,000 (over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; about 92,000 wage earners - many only intermittently) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 36%, community and social service 20%, manufacturing 14%, construction 9%, other 21% note: 15,980 employed in South African gold and coal mines (1991)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 55.94 years male: 51.97 years female: 60.03 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

906,932 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.18% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Eswatini