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Compare Swaziland (2005) - Saudi Arabia (2004)

Compare Swaziland (2005) z Saudi Arabia (2004)

 Swaziland (2005)Saudi Arabia (2004)
 SwazilandSaudi Arabia
Administrative divisions 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk
Age structure 0-14 years: 40.6% (male 240,643/female 235,895)


15-64 years: 55.6% (male 327,661/female 325,400)


65 years and over: 3.8% (male 19,273/female 25,028) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,039,578; female 4,845,937)


15-64 years: 59.3% (male 8,810,705; female 6,494,770)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 327,047; female 277,901) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports 18 (2004 est.) 204 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 72


over 3,047 m: 32


2,438 to 3,047 m: 13


1,524 to 2,437 m: 23


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
total: 129


over 3047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 72


914 to 1,523 m: 39


under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Area total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total: 1,960,582 sq km


land: 1,960,582 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly more than one-fifth 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 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 In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. Today, the monarchy is ruled by a son of ABD AL-AZIZ, and the country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.
Birth rate 27.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 29.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $494.6 million


expenditures: $552.7 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (2004 est.)
revenues: $78.77 billion


expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital Riyadh
Climate varies from tropical to near temperate harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,640 km
Constitution a constitution was due to be adopted in November 2003 but was delayed and scheduled for early 2005 governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


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


conventional short form: Saudi Arabia


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah


local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
Currency - Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate 25.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $320 million (2002 est.) $39.16 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE


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
chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER


embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh


mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693


telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800


FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989


consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA


chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002


FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud


chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of boundary; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate
Economic aid - donor - pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq
Economic aid - recipient $104 million (2001) -
Economy - overview 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 2004 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS. This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (25% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government spending in the short term include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political and social conservatism.
Electricity - consumption 1.173 billion kWh (2002) 113.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 799 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 402 million kWh (2002) 122.4 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Environment - current issues limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection


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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups African 97%, European 3% Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates emalangeni per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000) Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999)
Executive branch 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
chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members


elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
Exports NA 7.92 million bbl/day (2003)
Exports - commodities soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004) US 20.6%, Japan 15.4%, South Korea 9.8%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
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 green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932
GDP - purchasing power parity - $287.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 16.1%


industry: 43.4%


services: 40.5% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 4.7%


industry: 58.8%


services: 36.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2004 est.) 5.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 30 S, 31 30 E 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports - 5 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 3,107 km


paved: NA


unpaved: NA (2000)
total: 151,470 km


paved: 45,592 km


unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


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


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation
Imports NA 0 bbl/day (2003)
Imports - commodities motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004) US 9.4%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.2%, China 4.4%, France 4.1% (2003)
Independence 6 September 1968 (from UK) 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate 3.7% (FY95/96) 7.7% (2003 est.)
Industries mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate total: 69.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 72.51 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 65.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.4% (2004 est.) 0.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation 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 ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Irrigated land 690 sq km (1998 est.) 16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch Supreme Council of Justice
Labor force 383,200 (2000) 6.43 million


note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)
Labor force - by occupation NA agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
total: 4,431 km


border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
Land use arable land: 10.35%


permanent crops: 0.7%


other: 88.95% (2001)
arable land: 1.67%


permanent crops: 0.09%


other: 98.24% (2001)
Languages English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) Arabic
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 based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; 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 18 October 2003 (next to be held 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
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 33.22 years


male: 32.49 years


female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)
total population: 75.23 years


male: 73.26 years


female: 77.3 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 78.8%


male: 84.7%


female: 70.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 18 nm


continental shelf: not specified
Merchant marine - total: 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT


by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 6


foreign-owned: Egypt 3, Greece 4, Norway 2, Sudan 1, United Kingdom 3


registered in other countries: 54 (2004 est.)
Military branches Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005) Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $40.5 million (2004) $18 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (2004) 10% (2002)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 8,240,714 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 4,725,514 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 246,343 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 September (1968) Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards drought frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders political parties are banned by the government - 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] none
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 1,173,900


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 2005 est.)
25,795,938


note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (1995) NA
Population growth rate 0.25% (2005 est.) 2.44% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004) AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)
total: 1,392 km


standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2003)
Religions Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30% Muslim 100%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female


total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age none adult male citizens age 21 or older


note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: modern system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems


international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 46,200 (2003) 3,502,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 88,000 (2003) 7,238,200 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 5 plus 7 relay stations (2004) 117 (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate 3.7 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 34% (2000 est.) 25% (2003)
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