Statistical information Swaziland 1993

Swaziland in the World
top of pageBackground: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968.
top of pageLocation: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 17,360 km²
Land: 17,200 km²
Land boundaries: total 535 km, Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
ElevationNatural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Land useArable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 67%
Forest and woodland: 6%
Other: 19%
Irrigated land: 620 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulationGrowth rate: 3.18% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Swazi(s)
Adjective: Swazi
Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%
Languages: English (official; government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.18% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 43.22 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 11.41 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
Current issues note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 95.7 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 55.94 years
Male: 51.97 years
Female: 60.03 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
Total population: 55%
Male: 57%
Female: 54%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
Conventional short form: Swaziland
Government typeCapital: Mbabane (administrative; Lobamba (legislative)
Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 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 leadersInternational 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,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA
In the us chancery: 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 362-6,683
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen H. ROGERS
From the us embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
From the us fax: 268 45,959
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 2.5% (1991 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $800 (1991 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $518 million
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)
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 36%
By occupation communityandsocialservice: 20%
By occupation manufacturing: 14%
By occupation construction: 9%
By occupation other: 21%
Note: 15,980 employed in South African gold and coal mines (1991)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $342 million; expenditures $410 million, including capital expenditures of $130 million (FY94 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $575 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit
Partners: South Africa 50% (est.), EC countries, Canada
Imports: $730 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
Partners: South Africa 75% (est.), Japan, Belgium, UK
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: emalangeni (E) per US$1 -3.1576 (May 1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988; note - the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand
top of pageElectricityProduction: 60,000 kW capacity; 155 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $22 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 23
Usable: 21 with permanent-surfaced runways: 1
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs