Statistical information Swaziland 2016

Swaziland in the World

Swaziland - Introduction 2016

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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 King MSWATI III Africa's last absolute monarch to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006 but the legal status of political parties was not defined and their status remains unclear. Swaziland has surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Swaziland - Geography 2016

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Location: Southern Africa between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S 31 30 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 17,364 km²
Land: 17,204 km²
Water: 160 km²
Rank: 159
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 546 km
Border countries: (2) Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 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

Elevation
Mean elevation: 305 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m: highest point: Emlembe 1862 m

Natural resources: asbestos coal clay cassiterite hydropower forests small gold and diamond deposits quarry stone and talc

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 68.3%

arable land: 9.8%
permanent crops: 0.8%
permanent pasture: 57.7%

Forest: 31.7%
Other: 0%

Irrigated land: 500 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: drought

Geography
Note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Swaziland - People 2016

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Population: 1,451,428
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 higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 155
Growth rate: 1.1% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 106
Below poverty line: 69% (2006 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Swazi
Adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups: African 97% European 3%

Languages: English (official used for government business) siSwati (official)

Religions: Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) Roman Catholic 20% Muslim 10% other 30% (includes Anglican Baha'i Methodist Mormon Jewish)

Demographic profile:

Swaziland a small predominantly rural landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique suffers from severe poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy high unemployment rapid population growth and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding) overuse of small plots the overgrazing of cattle and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment exacerbating Swaziland’s poverty and subsistence problems. Swaziland’s extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – more than 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals.
Swazis mainly men from the country’s rural south have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal and later gold mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Swaziland’s small population the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a “brain drain” in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Swaziland. Much of today’s migration however is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends tourism and shopping.

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.5%
15-24 years: 22.19%
25-54 years: 34.12%
55-64 years: 4.28%
65 years and over: 3.9% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 69.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 63.2%
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1%
Potential support ratio: 16.5%

Median age
Total: 21.4 years
Male: 21.2 years
Female: 21.7 years
Rank: 181

Population growth rate: 1.1% (2016 est.)
Rank: 106

Birth rate: 24.3 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 58

Death rate: 13.4 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 12

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 102

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 21.3% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MBABANE (capital) 66,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male/female
25-54 years: 1.08 male/female
55-64 years: 0.66 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19.5
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 50.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 54.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 46.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 33

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 51.6 years
Male: 52.2 years
Female: 51 years
Rank: 221

Total fertility rate: 2.74 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 66

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 65.2% (2010)

Drinking water source:

urban: 93.6% of population
rural: 68.9% of population
total: 74.1% of population
urban: 6.4% of population
rural: 31.1% of population
total: 25.9% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.17 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 63.1% of population
rural: 56% of population
total: 57.5% of population
urban: 36.9% of population
rural: 44% of population
total: 42.5% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 28.8% (2015 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 1
People living with hivaids: 218,600 (2015 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 26
Deaths: 3,800 (2015 est.)
Deaths rank: 41

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 14.8% (2014)
Rank: 98

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.8% (2014)
Rank: 84

Education expenditures: 8.6% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 12

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 87.5%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 87.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 11 years

Youth unemployment

Swaziland - Government 2016

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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
Conventional short form: Swaziland
Local long form: Umbuso weSwatini
Local short form: eSwatini
Etymology: 'Land of the Swazi' people; the name 'Swazi' derives from 19th century King MSWATI II under whose rule Swazi territory was expanded and unified

Government type: absolute monarchy

Capital
Name: Mbabane ; Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Geographic coordinates: 26 19 S 31 08 E
Time difference: UTC+2

Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho Lubombo Manzini Shiselweni

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 6 September (1968)

Constitution: previous 1968 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005 effective 8 February 2006 (2016)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil common and customary law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Swaziland
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch
Chief of state: King MSWATI III
Head of government: Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI ; Deputy Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso MASUKU (since 2008)
Cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister confirmed by the monarch
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among elected members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 55 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 10 members appointed by the monarch; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: House of Assembly - last held on 20 September 2013
Election results: House of Assembly - no results of the election were released; note - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; 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

Judicial branch
Highest court: the Supreme Court of the Judicature comprising the Supreme Court and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and at least 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters
Judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court of the Judicature appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission or JCS a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice 4 members appointed by the monarch and the JCS head; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75 for Supreme Court justices and at age 70 for High Court justices
Subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws
Note: the national constitution as amended in 2006 shifted judicial power from the monarch and vested it exclusively in the judiciary

Political parties and leaders:

the status of political parties previously banned is unclear under the 2006 Constitution; the following are considered political associations:
African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA]
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Alvit DLAMINI]
People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]
Swaziland Democratic Party ro SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C COMESA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OPCW PCA SACU SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abednigo Mandla NTSHANGASE
In the us chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 234-5,002
In the us FAX: [1] 234-8,254
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa PETERSON
From the us embassy: corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive Ezulwini
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box D202 The Gables H106
From the us telephone: [268] 2,417-9,000
From the us FAX: [268] 2,416-3,344

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; blue stands for peace and stability red represents past struggles and yellow the mineral resources of the country; the shield spears and staff symbolize protection from the country's enemies while the black and white of the shield are meant to portray black and white people living in peaceful coexistence

National symbols: lion elephant; national colors: blue yellow red

National anthem
Name: 'Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati'
Lyrics and music: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT
Note: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

National heritage

Swaziland - Economy 2016

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Economy overview:

Surrounded by South Africa except for a short border with Mozambique Swaziland depends on South Africa for 60% of its exports and for more than 90% of its imports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand effectively relinquishing Swaziland's monetary policy to South Africa. 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. Swaziland’s GDP per capita makes it a lower middle income country but its income distribution is highly skewed with an estimated 20% of the population controlling 80% of the nation’s wealth. As of 2014 more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Swaziland has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate.
Subsistence agriculture employs approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and wood pulp had been major foreign exchange earners until the wood pulp producer closed in January 2010 and sugar is now the main export earner. Mining has declined in importance in recent years. Coal gold diamond and quarry stone mines are small scale and the only iron ore mine closed in 2014.
With an estimated 40% unemployment rate Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing soil depletion drought and floods are persistent problems. On 1 January 2015 Swaziland lost its eligibility for benefits under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.
The IMF forecasted that Swaziland’s economy will grow at a slower pace in 2016/2017 because of a region-wide drought which is likely to hurt Swaziland’s revenue from sugar exports and other agricultural products and a decline in the tourism and transport sectors. Swaziland’s revenue from SACU receipts and remittances from Swazi citizens abroad will also decline in 2016/2017 making it harder to maintain fiscal balance.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$10.85 billion (2015 est.)
$10.67 billion (2014 est.)
$10.41 billion (2013 est.)

Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 157

Real gdp growth rate:

1.7% (2015 est.)
2.5% (2014 est.)
2.9% (2013 est.)

Rank: 142

Real gdp per capita:

$8,500 (2015 est.)
$8,400 (2014 est.)
$8,300 (2013 est.)

Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 138

Gross national saving:

11.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
10.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
11.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

Rank: 100

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 79.1%
Government consumption: 20.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 10.3%
Investment in inventories: -0.1%
Exports of goods and services: 37.1%
Imports of goods and services: -46.9%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.6%
Industry: 43.9%
Services: 49.6%

Agriculture products: sugarcane cotton corn tobacco rice citrus pineapples sorghum peanuts; cattle goats sheep

Industries: coal forestry sugar soft drink concentrates textiles and apparel

Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2015 est.)
Rank: 137

Labor force: 446,100 (2013 est.)
Rank: 158
By occupation agriculture: 70%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Labor force

Unemployment rate: 40% (2006 est.)
Rank: 196

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 69% (2006 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.7%
Highest 10: 40.1%

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.4 (2001)
Rank: 18

Budget
Revenues: $1.121 billion
Expenditures: $1.387 billion
Surplus or deficit: -6.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 187

Taxes and other revenues: 27.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 99

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:

5% (2015 est.)
5.7% (2014 est.)

Rank: 176

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2010)
6.5% (31 December 2009)

Rank: 57

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.04% (31 December 2015 est.)
8.63% (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 92

Stock of narrow money:

$304.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$367.8 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 175

Stock of broad money:

$825.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.008 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 172

Stock of domestic credit:

$557.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$685 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 171

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$N/A
$203.1 million (31 December 2007)
$199.9 million (31 December 2006)

Current account balance:

$20 million (2015 est.)
$145 million (2014 est.)

Rank: 45

Exports:

$1.763 billion (2015 est.)
$1.803 billion (2014 est.)

Rank: 139
Commodities: soft drink concentrates sugar timber cotton yarn refrigerators citrus and canned fruit

Imports:

$1.603 billion (2015 est.)
$1.687 billion (2014 est.)

Rank: 171
Commodities: motor vehicles machinery transport equipment foodstuffs petroleum products chemicals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$548 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$690.8 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 146

Debt external:

$440.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$438.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 182

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:

emalangeni per US dollar -
12.7581 (2015 est.)
10.8469 (2014 est.)
10.8469 (2013 est.)
8.2 (2012 est.)
7.2597 (2011 est.)

Swaziland - Energy 2016

Swaziland - Communication 2016

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 43,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3
Fixed lines rank: 166
Mobile cellular total: 941,000
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 66
Mobile cellular rank: 160

Telephone system
General assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
Domestic: single source for mobile-cellular service with a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscribership base; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity roughly 70 telephones per 100 persons in 2015; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low-capacity microwave radio relay
International: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2015)

Broadcast media: state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sz
Users total: 436,000
Users percent of population: 30.4%
Users rank: 137

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Swaziland - Military 2016

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Military expenditures:

3.17% of GDP (2012)
3.11% of GDP (2011)
3.17% of GDP (2010)

Rank: 18

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; compulsory HIV testing required only HIV-negative applicants accepted (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Swaziland - Transportation 2016

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 89,791
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 3D (2016)

Airports: 14 (2013)
Rank: 149
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 301 km
Narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge
Rank: 123

Roadways
Total: 3,594 km
Paved: 1078 km
Unpaved: 2,516 km
Rank: 161

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals

Swaziland - Transnational issues 2016

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Disputes international: in 2006 Swazi king advocated resorting to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs