Map of Eswatini | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Autonomy for Eswatini was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2006, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in April 2018. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini has one of the lowest GDP growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa and suffers from severe poverty and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections.


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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
Note: (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
Lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
Highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 68.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 31.7% (2011 est.)
Other: 0% (2011 est.)

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


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Population
Distribution: because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains:
Rank: 160
Growth rate: 0.82% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 128
Below poverty line: 63% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers
Adjective: Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers

Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%

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

Religions: Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)

Demographic profile: Eswatini, 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 Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini'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 Eswatini'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 Eswatini. Much of today’s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping.

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.41% (male 186,747 /female 187,412)
15-24 years: 19.31% (male 99,192 /female 110,770)
25-54 years: 38.22% (male 193,145 /female 222,405)
55-64 years: 4.28% (male 19,915 /female 26,663)
65 years and over: 3.77% (male 15,470 /female 25,481) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 68.8 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 63.5 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 19.1 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 23.2 years (2018 est.)
Male: 22.2 years
Female: 24 years
Rank: 175

Population growth rate: 0.82% (2018 est.)
Rank: 128

Birth rate: 25.8 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 48

Death rate: 10.7 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 24

Net migration rate: -6.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 207

Population distribution: because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains

Urbanization
Urban population: 24% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.46% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 46.6 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 51.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 41.7 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 33

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 57.2 years (2018)
Male: 55.1 years
Female: 59.3 years
Rank: 215

Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 68

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.1% (2014)

Drinking water source
Urban: 6.4% of population
Rural: 31.1% of population
Total: 25.9% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.7% (2016)

Physicians density: 0.08 physicians/1000 population (2016)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 36.9% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 44% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 42.5% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 27.3% (201 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 1
People living with hivaids: 210,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 28
Deaths: 2,400 (2018 est.)
Deaths rank: 42

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: malaria (2016)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.5% (2016)
Rank: 124

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.8% (2014)
Rank: 79

Education expenditures: 7.1% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 13

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 87.5%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 87.5% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 11 years (2013)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Eswatini
Conventional short form: Eswatini
Local long form: Umbuso weSwatini
Local short form: eSwatini
Former: Swaziland
Etymology: the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified: note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini

Government type: absolute monarchy

Capital
Name: Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Geographic coordinates: 26 19 S, 31 08 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: named after a Swati chief, Mbabane Kunene, who lived in the area at the onset of British settlement

Administrative divisions: 4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)

Constitution
History: previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006
Amendments: proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting specially entrenched constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of entrenched provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king (2017)

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 Eswatini
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch
Chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo DLAMINI (since 27 October 2018); Deputy Prime Minister Themba MASUKU (since 6 November 2018)
Cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters
Judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75
Subordinate courts: magistrates courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)

Political parties and leaders: political parties exist, but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI]Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Dr. Alvit DLAMINI]People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]Swazi Democratic Party or 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 chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-5,002
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 234-8,254
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa J. PETERSON (since February 2016)
From the us telephone: [268] 2,417-9,000
From the us embassy:
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106
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 (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)
Lyricsmusic: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT: note: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

National heritage


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Economy overview: A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the north, west and south by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the east. Eswatini depends on South Africa for a majority of its exports and imports. Eswatini's currency is pegged to the South African rand, effectively relinquishing Eswatini's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for almost half of its revenue. Eswatini is a lower middle income country. As of 2017, more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Eswatini has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate, a financial strain and source of economic instability.The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and soft drink concentrate are the largest foreign exchange earners, although a drought in 2015-16 decreased sugar production and exports. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods are persistent problems. 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 28% unemployment rate, Eswatini's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute.Eswatini's national development strategy, which expires in 2022, prioritizes increases in infrastructure, agriculture production, and economic diversification, while aiming to reduce poverty and government spending. Eswatini's revenue from SACU receipts are likely to continue to decline as South Africa pushes for a new distribution scheme, making it harder for the government to maintain fiscal balance without introducing new sources of revenue.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 157

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 168

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 139

Gross national saving:
Rank: 59

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 21.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 13.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -46.3% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 45% (2017 est.)
Services: 48.6% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugarcane, corn, cotton, citrus, pineapples, cattle, goats

Industries: soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (2017 est.)
Rank: 48

Labor force: 427,900 (2016 est.)
Rank: 157
By occupation agriculture: 10.7%
By occupation industry: 30.4%
By occupation services: 58.9% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 203

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 63% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.7%
Highest 10: 40.1% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.4 (2001)
Rank: 16

Budget
Revenues: 1.263 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 1.639 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -8.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 201

Taxes and other revenues: 28.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 94

Public debt:
Rank: 168

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 188

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 43

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 77

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 168

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 172

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 166

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 117

Current account balance:
Rank: 55

Exports:
Rank: 146
Partners: South Africa 94% (2017)
Commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, timber, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus, and canned fruit

Imports:
Rank: 175
Commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Partners: South Africa 81.6%, China 5.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 147

Debt external:
Rank: 178

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: NA

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 900,000 (2017)
Access electrification total population: 65.8% (2016)
Access electrification urban areas: 82.8% (2016)
Access electrification rural areas: 61.2% (2016)
Production: 381 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 173
Consumption: 1.431 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 149
Exports: 0 kWh (2016)
Exports rank: 132
Imports: 1.077 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 69
Installed generating capacity: 295,900 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 160
Generation sources fossil fuels: 39% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 172
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 87
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 87
Generation sources other renewable sources: 41% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 6

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 133
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 120
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 124
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 129

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 142
Products consumption: 5,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 175
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 152
Products imports: 5,279 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 169

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 129
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 143
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 101
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 122
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 133

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.14 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 166

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 42,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 160
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 995,000
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 160

Telephone system
General assessment: earlier government monopoly in telecommunications hindered its growth; new regulatory authority established in 2013 has aided expansion in the telecom sector; 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE services (2018)
Domestic: Eswatini has 2 mobile-cellular providers; communication infrastructure has a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscriber base; fixed-line stands at 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 68 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay (2018)
International: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)

Internet
Country code: .sz
Users total: 414,724
Users percent of population: 28.6% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 152

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 7,000 (2017 est.)
Rank: 173


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 77

Military and security forces: Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing (no operational aircraft)) (2019)

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


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 89,791 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 3 (2016)

Airports: 14 (2013)
Rank: 148
With paved runways total: 2 (2019)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 12 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 301 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 301 km
Note: 1.067-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 122

Roadways
Total: 3,769 km (2019)
Rank: 153

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs