Yearbook 1999
Swaziland. Visit Countryaah official website to get information about the capital city of Swaziland. Bheki Makhubu, editor at The Times of Swaziland, was forced to leave his post in September after the newspaper was subjected to political pressure. The Times Sunday supplement had published two articles claiming that King Mswati’s latest wife – 18 years old – had failed in her studies and was suspended from two schools after she showed lack of discipline. A state prosecutor brought up the case, and Makhubu was arrested accused of trying to put the royal house on bad days. Makhubu was released at the end of September against bail pending trial.
- Also see Abbreviationfinder.org to see the acronym of SWZ which stands for Swaziland and other definitions of this 3-letter abbreviation.
In November, King Mswati presented a national development plan for the next five years. The plan contained no proposals for parliamentary democracy or political freedom of expression and therefore received harsh criticism.
Climate
The climatic zones correspond to the four landscape zones of Swaziland and are altogether subtropical.
The temperatures are mostly warm or mild. The humidity is usually high. In Mbabane, average summer temperatures reach 26 ° C. In winter they drop to around 13 ° C.
Most of the precipitation falls in summer (October to March). Most of the time there are showers, longer lasting rains are rare.
Country data
Area: 17,363 km2 (world ranking: 154)
Residents: 1,367,000
Population density: 79 per km2 (as of 2017, world ranking: 152)
Capital: Mbabane; Seat of Government: Lobamba
Official languages: Siswati (isiZulu), English
Gross domestic product: 4.4 US $ billion; Real growth: 2.0%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): 2960 US$
Currency: 1 Lilangeni (E) = 100 cents
Embassy
188 Avenue Winston Churchill, B-1180 Brussels
T +32 2 3474771,
Fax +32 2 3474623
Government
Head of State: Mswati III., Head of Government: Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini, Exterior: Mgwagwa Gamedze
National holiday: 6.9.
Administrative structure
4 districts: Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
State and form of government
Constitution of 2006
Absolute monarchy (in the Commonwealth)
Parliament (Libandla): National Assembly with 65 members (55 elected, 10 appointed by the king); Senate (Senate) with 30 members (10 elected by the National Assembly, 20 appointed by the King); Election every 5 years. Right to
vote from 18 years.
Population of: Swasi, last census 2007: 1,018,449 residents,
especially Swasi (belonging to the Nguni group of the Bantu, related to the Zulu) as well as Zulu, Tsonga, Shangaan
Cities (with population): (As of 2001) Mbabane 80,000 pop., Manzini 78,000, Lobamba 5800, Nhlangano 7000, Siteki 4000
Religions: 70% independent Christian churches (e.g. Zion Church), 25% Catholics and Protestants; indigenous religions (status: 2006)
Languages: Siswati (isiZulu); Minority languages; English
Employees by economic sector: agriculture. 70%, industry 12%, business 18% (2017)
Unemployment (in% of all labor force): no information
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 6.3%
Foreign trade: Import: 1.6 billion US $ (2017); Export: US $ 2.0 billion (2017)
The political framework of the Swaziland, an absolute monarchy ruled by Mswati III since 1986, did not undergo any substantial change. The new Constitution (2006) in fact left power in the exclusive hands of the king, who remained in control of the legislative and judicial apparatus. The demands for democratic reforms made by the organized opposition forces, despite the permanent ban on forming parties, in the People’s united democratic movement (PUDEMO) and in the Swaziland federation of trade unions (SFTU), continued to be disregarded and triggered harsh government repression.. In this context, both the 2008 and 2013 elections were completely meaningless, boycotted by the opposition and with widely predictable results. The economic and health conditions of the country remained dramatic, although in 2014 there was a slowdown in the spread of the HIV virus. The persistent violation of human rights led the United States in 2014 to exclude Swaziland from the African growth and opportunity act program.
Swaziland – Mbabane
Mbabane, capital of Swaziland; 61,800 residents (2010). Mbabane is located in Highveld in the western part of the country. The city is a commercial center and has a food industry.
The town grew up in the late 1800s, and was officially founded by the British in 1902.
