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, the world'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 remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

slightly smaller than New Jersey

varies from tropical to near temperate

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

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

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

1,370,424 (July 2011 est.)

26.63 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

14.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

MBABANE (capital) 74,000 (2009)

3.11 children born/woman (2011 est.)

urban: 92% of population

rural: 61% of population

total: 69% of population

urban: 8% of population

rural: 39% of population

total: 31% of population (2008)

urban: 61% of population

rural: 53% of population

total: 55% of population

urban: 39% of population

rural: 47% of population

total: 45% of population (2008)

African 97%, European 3%

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

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

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

signed by the King July 2005; went into effect 8 February 2006

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members to serve five-year terms)

High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the 2006 Constitution and currently being debated; the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Swaziland Democracy Campaign; Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland Solidarity Network or SSN

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

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

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 were major foreign exchange earners; however, the wood pulp producer closed in January 2010, and sugar is now the main export earner. 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. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand, subsuming 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 substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government has also legislated that 30% of local pension funds need to be invested in Swaziland, boosting demand for government bonds. Customs revenues plummeted due to the global economic crisis and a drop in South African imports. The resulting decline in revenue has pushed the country into a fiscal crisis. The government has requested assistance from the IMF and from the African Development Bank. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and more than one-quarter of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

$6.067 billion (2010 est.)

$5.949 billion (2009 est.)

$5.881 billion (2008 est.)

$3.553 billion (2010 est.)

12.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

6.5% (31 December 2009)

11% (31 December 2008)

11.38% (31 December 2009 est.)

14.83% (31 December 2008 est.)

$335.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$273.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.266 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$920.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$258.5 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$274.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA (31 December 2009)

$203.1 million (31 December 2007)

$199.9 million (31 December 2006)

sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel

441 million kWh (2007 est.)

1.266 billion kWh (2007 est.)

770 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

4,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

4,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-374 million (2010 est.)

$-213 million (2009 est.)

$1.417 billion (2010 est.)

$1.338 billion (2009 est.)

soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

$1.643 billion (2010 est.)

$1.585 billion (2009 est.)

motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

$708 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$959 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$497 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$411 million (31 December 2009 est.)

emalangeni per US dollar -

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)

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing) (2010)

18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted (2010)

in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa