Economic Overview
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. 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. customs duties from the southern african customs union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue this year, and worker remittances from south africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. swaziland is not poor enough to merit an imf program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size of the civil service and control costs at public enterprises. the government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. 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 sometimes 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 nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by hiv/aids.
Environmental Issues
Limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
Government Type
Monarchy
Population
1,128,814
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to aids; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (july 2008 est.)
Location
Southern africa, between mozambique and south africa
Area
Total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Slightly smaller than new jersey
Country Aliases
Conventional long form: kingdom of swaziland
conventional short form: swaziland
local long form: umbuso weswatini
local short form: eswatini
Capital
Name: mbabane
geographic coordinates: 26 18 s, 31 06 e
time difference: utc+2 (7 hours ahead of washington, dc during standard time)
note: lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Military Service
18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
International Disputes
In 2006, swazi king advocates resort to icj to claim parts of mpumalanga and kwazulu-natal from south africa
Sources: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
