Statistical information Swaziland 1992
Swaziland in the World
Swaziland - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968.
Swaziland - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 17,360 km²
Land: 17,200 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 535 km total; Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Coastline: none - landlocked
Maritime claims: none - landlocked
Disputes: none
Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Elevation
Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Land use
Land use: arable land: 8%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 67%; forest and woodland 6%; other 19%; includes irrigated 2%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Swaziland - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 913,008 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Swazi(s; adjective - Swazi
Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%
Languages: English and siSwati (official; government business conducted in English
Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 44 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: -6 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
Current issues note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 98 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 60 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: 55% (male 57%, female 54%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Swaziland - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
Government type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Capital: Mbabane (administrative; Lobamba (legislative)
Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini,
Shiselweni
Shiselweni
Dependent areas
Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)
Constitution:
none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended on 12
April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people
April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people
Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA,
SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA,
SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA; Chancery at 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 362-6,683
US:
Ambassador Stephen H. ROGERS; Embassy at Central Bank Building,
Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane); telephone 268 46,441 through 5; FAX 268 45,959
Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane); telephone 268 46,441 through 5; FAX 268 45,959
Diplomatic representation
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 horizontallyNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Swaziland - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies most of the labor force and contributes nearly 25% to GDP.
Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted in 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products 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 75% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports.
Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another quarter of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted in 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products 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 75% of its imports and to which it sends about half of its exports.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $563 million, per capita $725; real growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: accounts for 23% of GDP and over 60% of labor force; mostly subsistence agriculture; cash crops - sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice, citrus fruit, pineapples; other crops and livestock - corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep; not self-sufficient in grain
Industries: mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA; accounts for 26% of GDP (1989)
Labor force: 195,000; over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; about 92,000 wage earners (many only intermittently), with agriculture and forestry 36%, community and social services 20%, manufacturing 14%, construction 9%, other 21%; 16,800 employed in South Africa mines (1990)
Organized labor: about 10% of wage earners
Labor force
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $335.4 million; expenditures $360.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $557 million (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit
Partners: South Africa 50% (est.), EC, Canada
Imports: $632 million (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
Partners: South Africa 75% (est.), Japan, Belgium, UK
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: emalangeni (E) per US$1 - 2.7814 (January 1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987; note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand
Swaziland - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 60,000 kW capacity; 155 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1991)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Swaziland - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Swaziland - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $11 million, about 2% of GNP (1989)
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Swaziland - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
23 total, 21 usable; 1 with permanent-surfaced runways; none
with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Swaziland - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
