Eswatini

total: 12,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)

.sz

total: 708,000 (2021 est.) percent of population: 59% (2021 est.)

general assessment: Eswatini was one of the last countries in the world to open up its telecom market to competition; until 2011 the state-owned Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications also acted as the industry regulator and had a stake in the country s sole mobile network; a new independent regulatory authority was established in late 2013 and has since embarked on significant changes to the sector; mobile market subscriptions have been affected by the common use among subscribers when they use SIM cards from different networks in order to access cheaper on-net calls; subscriber growth has slowed in recent years, but was expected to have reached 8% in 2021, as people adapted to the changing needs for connectivity caused by the pandemic; the internet sector has been open to competition with a small number of licensed ISPs; DSL services were introduced in 2008, development of the sector has been hampered by the limited fixed-line infrastructure and by a lack of competition in the access and backbone networks; Eswatini is landlocked and so depends on neighboring countries for international bandwidth; this has meant that access pricing is relatively high, and market subscriptions remains relatively low; prices have fallen recently in line with greater bandwidth availability resulting from several new submarine cable systems which have reached the region in recent years; in September 2020 a terrestrial cable linked Mozambique with Eswatini and South Africa (2022) domestic: fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 120 telephones per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

total subscriptions: 38,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions: 1.468 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122 (2022 est.)

sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, potatoes (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $1.217 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $1.183 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Moody's rating: B3 (2020) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

-$140.972 million (2022 est.) $125.318 million (2021 est.) $270.942 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$758.868 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions

emalangeni per US dollar - 18.454 (2023 est.) 16.362 (2022 est.) 14.783 (2021 est.) 16.47 (2020 est.) 14.452 (2019 est.)

$2.095 billion (2022 est.) $2.132 billion (2021 est.) $1.808 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

scented mixtures, raw sugar, garments, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, wood (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 66%, Kenya 5%, Nigeria 3%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 3%, Mozambique 3% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$4.598 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 61.7% (2022 est.) government consumption: 17.6% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.8% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.8% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -47.6% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 8.1% (2023 est.) industry: 33.5% (2023 est.) services: 53.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

54.6 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 1.4% (2016 est.) highest 10%: 42.7% (2016 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$2.288 billion (2022 est.) $2.173 billion (2021 est.) $1.686 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, gold, plastic products, electricity, garments (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 76%, China 4%, US 3%, Mozambique 3%, Mauritania 3% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.53% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

2.6% (2019 est.) 4.82% (2018 est.) 6.22% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

405,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

58.9% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

35.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

$12.814 billion (2023 est.) $12.222 billion (2022 est.) $12.164 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.84% (2023 est.) 0.48% (2022 est.) 10.68% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$10,600 (2023 est.) $10,200 (2022 est.) $10,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.62% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.64% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.72% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$479.261 million (2023 est.) $452.352 million (2022 est.) $572.282 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

24.13% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

37.64% (2023 est.) 37.85% (2022 est.) 35.71% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 65% (2023 est.) male: 62.4% (2023 est.) female: 67.5% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

1.151 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 264,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 887,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

production: 219,000 metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 124,000 metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 5,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 147,000 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 4.644 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity: 287,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 1.344 billion kWh (2022 est.) imports: 914.13 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 155.872 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 82.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 86.1% electrification - rural areas: 81.6%

fossil fuels: 7.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 51.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 41.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

17.642 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 15.07 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 1.16 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 1.9 megatons (2020 est.)

varies from tropical to near temperate

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

severe localized food insecurity: due to higher staple food prices - the latest analysis indicates that nearly 259,000 people faced acute food insecurity between January and March 2023, an improvement compared to the previous year; food insecurity in 2022-23 is driven by high food prices and a slowdown in economic growth, curbing households income earning opportunities (2023)

agricultural land: 68.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.) forest: 31.7% (2018 est.) other: 0% (2018 est.)

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

2.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

4.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 24.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 218,199 tons (2016 est.)

total : 17,364 sq km land: 17,204 sq km water: 160 sq km

slightly smaller than New Jersey

varies from tropical to near temperate

0 km (landlocked)

highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m mean elevation: 305 m

26 30 S, 31 30 E

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

500 sq km (2012)

total: 546 km border countries (2): Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 km

agricultural land: 68.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 57.7% (2018 est.) forest: 31.7% (2018 est.) other: 0% (2018 est.)

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Africa

none (landlocked)

drought

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

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

name: Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) geographic coordinates: 26 19 S, 31 08 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after a Swati chief, Mbabane KUNENE, who lived in the area at the onset of British settlement

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Eswatini dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

history: previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006 amendments: proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king

conventional long form: Kingdom of Eswatini conventional short form: Eswatini local long form: Umbuso weSwatini local short form: eSwatini former: Swaziland etymology: the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) Charg d Affaires Caitlin PIPER (since 27 October 2023) embassy: Corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini, P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106 mailing address: 2350 Mbabane Place, Washington DC 20521-2350 telephone: (268) 2417-9000 FAX: [268] 2416-3344 email address and website: ConsularMbabane@state.gov Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Eswatini (usembassy.gov)

chief of mission: Ambassador Kennedy Fitzgerald GROENING (7 June 2022) chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002 FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 email address and website: swaziland@compuserve.com

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Russell DLAMINI (since 6 November 2023) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly

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; blue stands for peace and stability, red represents past struggles, and yellow the mineral resources of the country; the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from the country's enemies, while the black and white of the shield are meant to portray black and white people living in peaceful coexistence

absolute monarchy

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

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

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75 subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

description: bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of: Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms) House of Assembly (70 seats statutory, current 69; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, and 1 ex-officio member - the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last election held on 12 October 2023 , senate fully constituted on November 5 when monarch appointed remaining 20 senators; (next to be held in 2028) House of Assembly - last held on 29 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028) election results: Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 14, percentage women 46.7% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 58, women 16, percent of women 17.14%; total Parliament percentage women 28.8%

name: "Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi) lyrics/music: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT note: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)

lion, elephant; national colors: blue, yellow, red

political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations: African United Democratic Party or AUDP Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA

18 years of age

A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18 th century and ruled by a series of kings, including MSWATI II, a 19 th century ruler whose name was adopted for the country and its predominant ethnic group. European countries defined the kingdom s modern borders during the late-19 th century, and Swaziland (as it became known) was administered as a UK high commission territory from 1903 until its independence in 1968. A new constitution that came into effect in 2005 included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear, and the kingdom is still considered an absolute monarchy. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to reflect the name most commonly used by its citizens. In 2021, MSWATI III used security forces to suppress prodemocracy protests. A national dialogue and reconciliation process agreed to in the wake of violence has not materialized. In November 2023, King MSWATI III appointed a new prime minister following peaceful national elections. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty, corruption, and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections. Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taiwan.

the UEDF s primary mission is external security but it also has domestic security responsibilities, including protecting members of the royal family; the king is the UEDF commander in chief and holds the position of minister of defense, although the UEDF reports to the Army commander and principal undersecretary of defense for day-to-day operations; the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is responsible for maintaining internal security as well as migration and border crossing enforcement; it is under the prime minister, although the king is the force s titular commissioner in chief; the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force (2023)

Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2024)

approximately 3,000 active-duty personnel (2023)

the UEDF has a light and small inventory of mostly older equipment originating from Europe, South Africa, and the US (2024)

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 180,328/female 179,840) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 341,298/female 390,884) 65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 16,974/female 28,765)

total: 7.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 5.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

22.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

5.8% (2014)

66.1% (2014)

6.5% of GDP (2020)

37.1% (2023 est.)

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate nearly 28% of adults have the disease compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals. Swazis, mainly men from the country s rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a "brain drain" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping.

total dependency ratio: 64 youth dependency ratio: 57.4 elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 potential support ratio: 15.3 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 97.5% of population rural: 74.8% of population total: 80.3% of population unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population rural: 25.2% of population total: 19.7% of population (2020 est.)

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry

1.17 (2024 est.)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

total: 36.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 40.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.5 deaths/1,000 live births

English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)

total population: 60.7 years (2024 est.) male: 58.7 years female: 62.8 years

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.4% male: 88.3% female: 88.5% (2018)

68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)

437 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

total: 24.6 years (2024 est.) male: 23.4 years female: 25.8 years

noun: liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers adjective: Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers

-6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

16.5% (2016)

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

total: 1,138,089 male: 538,600 female: 599,489 (2024 est.)

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map

0.7% (2024 est.)

Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)

improved: urban: 92.3% of population rural: 83.9% of population total: 85.9% of population unimproved: urban: 7.7% of population rural: 16.1% of population total: 14.1% of population (2020 est.)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 12 years (2013)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 9.2% (2020 est.) male: 16.5% (2020 est.) female: 1.8% (2020 est.)

2.37 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 24.8% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

16 (2024)

3DC

total: 301 km (2014) narrow gauge: 301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total: 4,594 km paved: 1,500 km unpaved: 3,000 km (2022)