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Southern Africa. Landlocked. Borders on Mozambique and South Africa. Equivalent to 132 by 132 kilometers. Mountainous. Capital: Mbabane.
Independence from South Africa granted in 1968. Head of state: the king. Prime minister appointed by the king. Advisory body for the king: a bicameral parliament, Senate and Assembly. Members of the Assembly elected by popular vote for five-year terms.
One of the world's last absolute monarchies and one of the most miserable of countries.
Trade unions and opposition parties have been banned.
Headline from January 2005: King Mswati III takes his 13th wife.
Headline from February 2005: "King Mswati buys 10 BMWs for his wives just two months after being criticised for buying a $500,000 car for himself." (from BBC News)
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Factbook: "In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active."
Estimated per capita GDP:
2008 $5,100 (ranks just behind Guatemala and just ahead of Jordan)
2007 $4,900
2006 $4,700
GDP annual growth rate:
2008: 2.7%
2007: 3.5%
2006: 2.8%
Unemployment rate estimated for 2006: 40%.
Deaths: 30.7. Births: 26.6.
Estimated in July 2008: 1.129 million. Growth rate: minus 0.41 percent per year. Density: 68 persons per square kilometer estimated for 2005.
Infant mortality estimated for 2008: 69.59, up from 69.27 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births).
Average life expectancy at birth estimated for 2008: 31.99, down from 35.65 years for 2005.
More than 40% of the population is believed to be infected with HIV.
Males 82.6 percent
Females 80.8 percent
Mostly a single tribe. Whites 3 percent.
"Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%"
A report published by the BBC describes a poll of 50,000 families in 28 African countries, by the UN Economic Commission for Africa. There are complaints of "corruption, poor tax systems, run-down and unaccountable public services, weak parliaments and unreformed courts." Swaziland is among the four lowest ranking countries regarding trust in authorities by those polled.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
BBC News
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.