Swaziland is a Southern African country. Surrounded by South Africa and also bordering Mozambique, to the northeast, the kingdom of Swaziland is a mountainous enclave, with no outlet to the sea, but well provided with water courses. The country spans 17 363 km2. The administrative and judicial capital is Mbabane, with Lobamba being the legislative capital. The largest cities are Manzini, with 76 900 residents (2004), Mbabane (70 800 residents), Nhlangano (6900 residents) And Mhlume (14 400 residents).
The territory descends on three large steps, from west to east. The first level, the so-called Highveld (above 900 m), is formed by rugged mountains covered with forests and cut by waterfalls. The Middleveld (400-850 m), covered with orange groves and pineapple plantations, goes down to the lowlands of Lowveld (150-300 m), in whose lands there are sugarcane plantations. At the eastern end, the border is formed by the Lebombo chain (which reaches 825 m), cut by canyons, which separates Swaziland from Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. The largest rivers are Lomati, Usutu, Mkhondvo and Komati and represent great hydroelectric potential.
Climate
It has a tropical climate of altitude.
Economy
Sugarcane is the country’s main production. When Swaziland became independent in 1967, 55% of the arable land was in the hands of foreigners, mainly South Africans and Europeans. With largely positive results in agricultural production, Swaziland is an exception in Black Africa. In 1995, suffering from a dry spell, he had to ask the European Union for food aid.
The subsoil is rich in minerals: diamond deposits have been discovered, and there is also coal, iron, asbestos. Economic growth between 1970 and 1985 was over 4% per year. This relative wealth is explained by the existence of a high workforce (30,000 wage earners) employed in South Africa and repatriating their wages. On the other hand, Swaziland is part of the group of countries linked to the South African Customs Union, a circumstance that ensures more than 2/3 of the national income. Swaziland’s main trading partners are South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Mozambique.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 0.4.
Population
In 2006 it had 1 136 334 residents, which corresponds to a population density of 67.61 residents/km2. The birth and death rates are respectively 27.41% and 29.74%. Average life expectancy is 32.62 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.547 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.536 (2001). It is estimated that, in 2025, the population will be 1 356 000 residents.
The current population is characterized by a strong ethnic homogeneity. The vast majority of the residents are Swazi (84%), followed by zulos (10%) and tsonga (3%). The Zulo ethnic group settled in Swaziland at the end of the 17th century, coming from the area that is now the Mozambican territory. The main religions are Protestantism (37%), African Christianity (29%), traditional beliefs (21%) and Catholicism (11%). The official languages are Swazi and English.
History
In the 19th century, European colonists politically dominated the territory. The Swazi people came to consent to the presence of a government composed of English, South Africans and Swazi representatives. In our century, in 1949, the South African Union intended to control Swaziland, but the British refused the proposal. In 1967 it was no longer possible for the United Kingdom to keep the colony under its control. For Swaziland democracy and rights, please check getzipcodes.
Swaziland is a parliamentary monarchy governed by traditional tribal institutions where an assembly and a senate operate with the consent of the king. The current holder of the throne was crowned in 1986 and is called Mswati III.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Swaziland, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Swaziland. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Swaziland
Check out the political and shaded relief maps of this Southern African country, between Mozambique and South Africa.
