Swaziland (2001) | Indian Ocean (2007) | |
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.) |
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Agriculture - products | sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep | - |
Airports | 18 (2000 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
17,363 sq km land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km |
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | about 5.5 times the size of the US |
Background | 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. | The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. |
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) |
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Capital | Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital | - |
Climate | varies from tropical to near temperate | northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 66,526 km |
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:
Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland |
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Currency | lilangeni (SZL) | - |
Death rate | 21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $281 million (2000 est.) | - |
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 |
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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 |
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Disputes - international | 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 | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) |
Economic aid - recipient | $55 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | 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. | The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. |
Electricity - consumption | 198 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 852 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 701 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (1999) |
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Electricity - production | 375 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
53.33% hydro: 46.67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m |
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
Environment - current issues | limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion | endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea |
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 |
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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:
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 |
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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 | 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.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 26 30 S, 31 30 E | 20 00 S, 80 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa | major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait |
Highways | total:
3,000 km paved: 850 km unpaved: 2,150 km (1997) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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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 | total:
535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km |
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Land use | arable land:
11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 62% forests and woodland: 7% other: 20% (1993 est.) |
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Languages | English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) | - |
Legal system | 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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
38.62 years male: 37.86 years female: 39.4 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.7% male: 78% female: 75.6% (1995 est.) |
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Location | Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa | body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia |
Map references | Africa | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | - |
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.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
143,618 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 6 September (1968) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi |
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Natural hazards | NA | occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches |
Natural resources | asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc | oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules |
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 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 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.) |
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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 |
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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.) |
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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) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 33,500 (2000) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 30,000 (2000) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 10 (2000) | - |
Terrain | mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains | surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge |
Total fertility rate | 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 22% (1995 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | - |