About Eswatini/Swaziland

Eswatini or Swaziland, often called Ngwane or Swatini, is landlocked country in Southern Africa. South Africa borders the country to the north, south, and west and Mozambique to the east.

Swaziland is small and is no larger than 200 km north to south and 130 km east to west. The western part of Swaziland is mountainous and moves to a Lowveld eastern region. An escarpment of the Lemombo Mountains is on the eastern border with Mozambique and South Africa.

Swaziland’s area has been inhabited since prehistory. Most of the population today is ethic Swazis who speak siSwati. English is often a second language. The Swazi people descend from the Bantu who migrated to the area in the 15th and 16th centuries. The U.K. made the area a protectorate after the Anglo-Boer War. Swaziland earned independence in 1968. The country belongs to the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Southern African Development Community. The king is the head of state. The prime minister is appointed by the king as are a small number of representatives for both parliamentary chambers. Elections are held every five years to determine most of the representatives. Swaziland adopted a new constitution in 2005.

The economy is mainly agriculture, industry, and manufacturing. The currency is pegged to the South African rand and South Africa is the largest trading partner. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a disastrous effect on the economy and country as a whole. Swaziland has the highest infection rate in the world, with over 212,900 people infected. The adult prevalence rate is 26.5% percent.

The population of Swaziland is estimated at 1,409,210 million (2019).