Form of Government: Monarchy
Area: 17 364 sq km
Population: 1 160 164 inhab. (estimate 2020)
Density: 66.81 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 26° - 28° S; long. 30° - 32° E
Capital: Mbabane 68 010 inhab. (2018), urban agglomeration; Lobamba (legislative capital) 11 000 inhab. (2006);
Currency: lilangeni, plural emalangeni (100 cents)
Human development index: 0.611 (rank: 138)
Sovereign: Mswati III, since 25 April 1986
Prime Minister: Cleopas Dlamini, since 16 July 2021
Internet: www.gov.sz (The Government of The Kingdom of Eswatini)
Member of AU, COMESA, Commonwealth, SACU, SADC, UN, WTO
Eswatini (Swaziland)

International license plate code SD
International dialling code 00268
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (required only if traveling from a country with risk of transmission); malaria prophylaxis (recommended for some areas)
Electricity (Voltage) 230
Driving side left
Internet code .sz
GMT +2
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Mbabane 20.2
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Mbabane 24/15
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Mbabane 8/6
Annual average precipitation (mm) Mbabane 807
Days of rainfall (annual average) Mbabane 70
Geography.
It is almost completely surrounded by South Africa, apart from a short stretch of its border with Mozambique to the north-east. Rainfall is more abundant in the north-east, while the country becomes drier towards the south.
Government
Formerly a British protectorate, it has been independent within the Commonwealth since 6 September 1968, preserving traditional customs and institutions. Until 2018, it retained the name Swaziland. The 1978 Constitution, although amended to introduce greater democracy in 2006, assigns most powers to the King. The Assembly (59 elected members, 10 appointed by the sovereign and a variable number of seats - currently 4 - to guarantee 30% representation of women) and the Senate (30 members) mostly have consultative roles.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Military expenditure | 1.823 | % of GDP | 2019 |
Military personnel | 3 000 | units | 2007 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Homicides | 8.2 | per 100 000 pop. | 2013 |
Police personnel | 367 | per 100 000 pop. | 2012 |
Administrative division
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Mbabane | 68 010 | inhab. | 2018 |
Manzini | 30 248 | inhab. | 2017 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Manzini | 115 200 | inhab. | 2006 |
Mbabane | 68 010 | inhab. | 2018 |
Population
Population by age and gender (% - 2020) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
MALE | AGE | FEMALE |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Birth rate | 25.881 | ‰ | 2019 |
Death rate | 9.059 | ‰ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Swazi | 82.3 | % | 2000 |
Zulu | 9.6 | % | 2000 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Christian | 89.2 | % | 2017 |
nonreligious/atheist | 7.4 | % | 2017 |
DESCRIPTION |
---|
English (official) |
Siswati (official) |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
0-14 years | 33.6 | % | 2020 |
15-29 years | 28.8 | % | 2020 |
Economy
The country’s economy depends on South Africa, on custom fees from the Southern African Customs Union and on remittances by emigrants. The local currency is pegged to the South African Rand. Most of the population is involved in subsistence agriculture, although there are also some plantation crops (sugar cane). Coal is mined at Maloma. Industry (textiles and foodstuffs) is concentrated in Matsapa and Nhlangano.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 113.37 | index | 2016 |
Agricultural prod. index (2014-16=100) | 100.71 | index | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Active population | 382 000 | units | 2020 |
Active population, Females | 47.6 | % | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Unemployment rate | 23.4 | % | 2020 |
Unemployment rate, Females | 51.3 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 21 800 | M LCU | 2019 |
Revenues | 18 900 | M LCU | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 12.5 | % | 2019 |
industry | 23.8 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 9.146 | % | 2019 |
industry | 35.43 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Currency in circulation | 1.413 | BN LCU | 2020 |
International reserves | 545.564 | M US$ | 2020 |
Agriculture
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
arable land | 11.047 | % | 2018 |
forests | 28.787 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cereals, total | 97.831 | 1000 t | 2019 |
maize | 95$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
potatoes | 8.634 | 1000 t | 2019 |
roots and tubers, total | 78.712 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
tomatoes | 6.602 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, dry | 0.775 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 0.565 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 5 665.898 | 1000 t | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.154 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
seed cotton | 0.887 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fruits, total | 113.874 | 1000 t | 2019 |
plums | 1.327 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
almonds | 1.052 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 96.269 | 1000 t | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 0.233 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 0.994 | 1000 t | 2019 |
bananas | 7.493 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
maize | 79.13 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
rice | 0.297 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
potatoes | 4.081 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
sweet potatoes | 1.285 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
tomatoes | 0.506 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, dry | 1.641 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 1.54 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 58.762 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.434 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
seed cotton | 1.425 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
plums | 0.238 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
almonds | 0.649 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 12.297 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 0.044 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 0.164 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
bananas | 1.255 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
timber | 2 872 843 | m³ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cattle | 623.509 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
cattle and buffaloes | 623.509 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
pigs | 35.596 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sheep | 40.276 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
goats | 244.729 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asses | 16.427 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
asses and mules | 16.538 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
birds | 3 956 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
butter | 0.201 | 1000 t | 2018 |
eggs | 1.009 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
freshwater fishes | 165 | t | 2019 |
total catch | 165 | t | 2019 |
Minerals
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
coal | 109.9 | 1000 t | 2019 |
coal, total | 109.9 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
iron ore | 603.2 | 1000 t | 2014 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
gold | 12$ | kg | 2018 |
Energy
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 300 | M kWh | 2018 |
- hydro | 211.2 | M kWh | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 115 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
- other renew. | 107 | 1000 kW | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
total net generation | 712.21 | M kWh | 2018 |
total installed capacity | 282 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
Industry
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
ferroalloys | 0.4 | 1000 t | 2012 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beer of barley | 27$ | 1000 t | 2018 |
cottonseed oil | 0.089 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
other paper | 49$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
paper | 49$ | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
chemicals production | 8$ | M US$ | 2011 |
food, beverages and tobacco production | 1 312 | M US$ | 2011 |
Trade
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
manufactures | 64.905 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
food products | 28.697 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
Tourism
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenditures | 33$ | M US$ | 2019 |
Number of arrivals | 680 000 | units | 2019 |
Social and welfare
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expected years of schooling | 11.2 | years | 2013 |
Graduates | 2 525 | units | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Students, primary level | 237 451 | units | 2017 |
Students, secondary level | 108 288 | units | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Hospital beds | 2.1 | per 1000 pop. | 2011 |
Physicians | 0.33 | per 1000 pop. | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
HIV | 27$ | % of adults | 2019 |
HIV, total | 18.1 | % | 2001 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Research and development spending | 0.267 | % of GDP | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 54.7 | % | 2019 |
Access to electricity | 77.17 | % | 2019 |