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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), 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: 220,097 males fit for military service: 127,285 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

129,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

30,364 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

12,500 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, corn, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Budget [time series]

revenues: $342 million expenditures: $410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (1994 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

This small landlocked economy is based largely on subsistence agriculture, which occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 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. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines supplement domestically produced income by as much as 20%. Overgrazing, soil depletion, and drougth persist as problems for the future.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 120,000 kW production: 410 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,003 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

emalangeni (E) per US$1 - 3.6417 (January 1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990); note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Exports [time series]

$798 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: sugar, edible concentrates, wood pulp, cotton yarn, asbestos partners: South Africa 50%, EU countries, Canada

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$240 million (1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 25% industry: 40% services: 35% (1995 est.)

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

$3,700 (1995 est.)

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

2.6% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$827 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals partners: South Africa 90%, Switzerland, UK 2.6%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.2% (1993 est.)

Industries [time series]

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

14.7% (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

160,355 (1986 est.) by occupation: private sector about 65%, public sector 35%

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 17,360 sq km land area: 17,200 sq km 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]

current issues: limited access to potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Irrigated land [time series]

640 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 11% permanent crops: NEGL meadows and pastures: 62% forest and woodland: 7% other: 20%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Government

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 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KHANYA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683, 6685

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) is a hereditary monarch head of government: Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI (since 12 November 1993); appointed by the king cabinet: Cabinet; designated by the king

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

[1] (202) 244-8059

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

[268] 45959

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

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

elections last held 26 September and 11 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; of the total of 65 seats, 10 are appointed by the king and 55 are elected by secret, popular vote; candidates for election are 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

Independence [time series]

6 September 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court, judges are appointed by the king; Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the king

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament is advisory

Country name (Name of country) [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]

note: political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings illegal parties: Peoples' United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Mario MASUKU; Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), Benedict TSABEDZE; Swaziland Communist Party (SWACOPA), Mphandlana SHONGWE; Swaziland Liberation Front (FROLISA); Convention for Full Democracy in Swaziland (COFUDESWA), Sabelo DLAMINI; Swaziland National Front (SWANAFRO); Ngwane Socialist Revolutionary Party (NGWASOREP)

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

consists of 30 members (10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the king)

Suffrage [time series]

NA; note - no suffrage before September 1993; 55 of the 65 seats in the House of Assembly were filled by popular vote in the elections of September and October 1993; of a population of less than 1 million, the electorate numbered 283,693

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

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

chief of mission: Ambassador John T. SPROTT embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46% (male 227,634; female 229,129) 15-64 years: 52% (male 247,156; female 271,096) 65 years and over: 2% (male 9,864; female 13,851) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

42.91 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 97%, European 3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

88.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 57.26 years male: 53.25 years female: 61.4 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 76.7% male: 78% female: 75.6%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

998,730 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.24% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.05 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 17 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 10 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 6 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,960 km paved: 804 km unpaved: 2,156 km (1993 est.)

Ports [time series]

none

Railways [time series]

total: 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge (single track)

Eswatini