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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.sz

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

1,401 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

27,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

88,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $462.4 million expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (2003)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

lilangeni (SZL)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

SZL

Current account balance [time series]

$-72.69 million (2003)

Debt - external [time series]

$320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$104 million (2001)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. 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 about nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

962.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

348.3 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$905.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)

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

agriculture: 16.2% industry: 43.2% services: 40.5% (2003 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)

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

2.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Imports [time series]

$1.088 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.7% (FY95/96)

Industries [time series]

mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

21.1% of GDP (2003)

Labor force [time series]

383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

Oil - consumption [time series]

3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

40% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold (Reserves of foreign exchange & gold) [time series]

$277.5 million (2003)

Unemployment rate [time series]

34% (2000 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 17,363 sq km land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical to near temperate

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Irrigated land [time series]

690 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 10.35% permanent crops: 0.7% other: 88.95% (2001)

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

drought

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Capital [time series]

Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Constitution [time series]

a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683 FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Independence [time series]

6 September 1968 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

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 or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008) election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; 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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$29 million (2003)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.8% (2003)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

African 97%, European 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

17,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

220,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 37.54 years male: 39.1 years female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

1,169,241 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.55% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

18 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 3,247 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (1998)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

none

Railways [time series]

total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Eswatini