Iles Eparses (2006) | Swaziland (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
45.53% (male 250,327; female 252,479) 15-64 years: 51.88% (male 276,186; female 296,728) 65 years and over: 2.59% (male 11,687; female 16,936) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep |
Airports | 4 (2006) | 18 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
Area | Bassas da India: total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)
Europa Island: total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km Glorioso Islands: total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island: total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km Tromelin Island: total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km |
total:
17,363 sq km land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km |
Area - comparative | Bassas da India: land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Europa Island: about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC Glorioso Islands: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Background | The Iles Eparses, or scattered islands, are a group of five French entities - Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island - which on 1 April 1960 came under the authority of the Minister in charge of overseas possessions. On 19 September 1960 by decree, the islands were transferred to the charge of the Prefet of Reunion where they remained until 3 January 2005 when they were transferred by another decree to the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF).
Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide. Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. |
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. |
Birth rate | - | 40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues:
$400 million expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97) |
Capital | - | Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital |
Climate | tropical | varies from tropical to near temperate |
Coastline | Bassas da India: 35.2 km
Europa Island: 22.2 km Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km Tromelin Island: 3.7 km |
0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | - | none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Bassas da India, Ile Europa, Iles Glorieuses, Ile Juan de Nova, Ile Tromelin |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland |
Currency | - | lilangeni (SZL) |
Death rate | - | 21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $281 million (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | possessions of France; administered by the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), resident in Reunion | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission:
Ambassador Gregory L. JOHNSON 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 | - | 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 |
Disputes - international | Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: claimed by Madagascar
Tromelin Island: claimed by Mauritius |
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 |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $55 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp 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 four-fifths of its imports and to which it sends two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines 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. Prospects for 2001 are strengthened by government millennium projects for a new convention center, additional hotels, an amusement park, a new airport, and stepped-up roadbuilding and factory construction plans. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 198 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 852 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 701 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 375 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
53.33% hydro: 46.67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all unnamed locations) |
lowest point:
Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m |
Environment - current issues | - | limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | - | African 97%, European 3% |
Exchange rates | - | emalangeni per US dollar - 7.7803 (January 2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON | chief of state:
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Exports | - | $881 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | - | soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit |
Exports - partners | - | South Africa 65%, EU 12%, Mozambique 11%, US 5% (1998) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
10% industry: 46% services: 44% (1998 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | Bassas da India: 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Europa Island: 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands: 11 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island: 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island: 15 52 S, 54 25 E |
26 30 S, 31 30 E |
Geography - note | Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano
Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) |
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa |
Highways | - | total:
3,000 km paved: 850 km unpaved: 2,150 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $928 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | - | motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
Imports - partners | - | South Africa 84%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (1998) |
Independence | - | 6 September 1968 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 3.7% (FY95/96) |
Industries | - | mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates |
Infant mortality rate | - | 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 6.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | - | 670 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | private sector 70%, public sector 30% |
Land boundaries | none | total:
535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km |
Land use | Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and scattered brush | arable land:
11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 62% forests and woodland: 7% other: 20% (1993 est.) |
Languages | - | English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | 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 | - | 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 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
38.62 years male: 37.86 years female: 39.4 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.7% male: 78% female: 75.6% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean
Bassas da India: atoll in the southern Mozambique Channel, about half way from Madagascar to Mozambique Europa Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique Glorioso Islands: group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar Juan de Nova Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique Tromelin Island: island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note - Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | - | Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $19.198 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 4.75% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
248,084 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
143,618 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 6 September (1968) |
Nationality | - | noun:
Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi |
Natural hazards | all islands subject to periodic cyclones
Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs |
NA |
Natural resources | Bassas da India and Europa Island: none
Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts Tromelin Island: fish |
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]; Swaziland Progressive Party or SPP [J. J. NQUKU, president]; Swaziland United Front or SUF [Matsapa SHONGWE, leader]
note: political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings; the organizations listed are political associations |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | Bassas da India: uninhabitable
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists |
1,104,343
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 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.83% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 7, FM 6 (2000) |
Radios | - | 155,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge |
Religions | - | Protestant 55%, Muslim 10%, Roman Catholic 5%, indigenous beliefs 30% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age |
Telephone system | - | general assessment:
not a modern system domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 33,500 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 30,000 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 10 (2000) |
Terrain | Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount |
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains |
Total fertility rate | - | 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Transportation - note | aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 22% (1995 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |