Swaziland (Eswatini)

COUNTRY FLAG

COAT OF ARMS
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LOCATION MAP

AREA MAP
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INFORMATION

Capital: Lobamba (royal/legislative,) Mbabane (administrative)

Government: Unitary Parliamentary Absolute Diarchy

Current King: Mswati III

Economy:

  • Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland depends heavily on South Africa from which it receives more than 90% of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports.
  • The government is heavily dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and worker remittances from South Africa supplement domestically earned income.
  • Subsistence agriculture employs approximately 70% of the population.

Population: 1,104,479 (2020)

Land Size: 17,364 sq km (6,704 sq miles)

Major Ethnic Groups:

  • Swazi: 97%
  • European: 3%
 Religions:

  • Zionist (a blend of Christianity and African Traditional Religions): 40%
  • Roman Catholic: 20%
  • Muslim: 10%
  • Other (includes Anglican, Baha’i, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish): 30%

Language(s):

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

Links:

RECENT NEWS

  • Fri - Nov 26, 2021: Europe Halts Travel From Southern Africa Over New Coronavirus Variant - AllAfrica News: Swaziland
    [DW] The European Union wants member states to halt air travel with South Africa and several surrounding countries over a new coronavirus variant. Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic were all quick to react.
  • Thu - Nov 25, 2021: What Lies Behind Uprisings in eSwatini - the Unfinished Business of Democratic Reform - AllAfrica News: Swaziland
    [The Conversation Africa] The Kingdom of Eswatini, the small, landlocked southern African country that shares borders with South Africa and Mozambique, has been in political turmoil since May. The country is Africa's last absolute monarchy.
  • Mon - Nov 15, 2021: National Dialogue Mustn't Become a Monologue - AllAfrica News: Swaziland
    [ISS] SADC should urgently mediate a dialogue process that's seen as credible by all parties in the country.
  • Fri - Nov 12, 2021: South Africa's Apartheid Regime Manipulated Borders. Today, the Effects Linger - AllAfrica News: Swaziland
    [The Conversation Africa] The issue of land, especially its redistribution, remains contentious in South Africa 27 years after the formal end of apartheid. Land redistribution was promised at the end of apartheid. The failure of the African National Congress (ANC) government to do so is emblematic of its failure to fundamentally transform the country.
  • Thu - Nov 4, 2021: Swazi Opposition Tentatively Welcomes Ramaphosa's National Dialogue Plans - AllAfrica News: Swaziland
    [Daily Maverick] Eswatini's main political opposition has generally welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's meeting with King Mswati in Eswatini on Tuesday, in which they agreed on arrangements for a national dialogue to negotiate a way out of the country's political impasse.