1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
17,364 km2; most of area suitable for crops or pastureland
Land boundaries
435 km
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
96% African, 3% European, 1% mulatto
Labor force
120,000; about 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; 55,000-60,000 wage earners, many only intermittently, with 31% agriculture, 11% government, 11% manufacturing, 12% mining and forestry, 35% other (1968 est.); 18,114 employed in South African mines (1978)
Language
English and siSwati are official languages; government business conducted in English
Literacy
about 25%
Nationality
noun—Swazi(s); adjective—Swazi
Organized labor
about 15% of wage earners are unionized
Population
589,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.8%
Religion
43% animist, 57% Christian
Government
Branches
constitution was repealed and Parliament dissolved by King in April 1973; new bicameral Parliament formally opened in January 1979; 80-member electoral college chose 40 members of lower house and 10 members of upper house; additional 10 members for each house chosen by King; executive authority vested in King whose assent is required before parliamentary acts become law; King's authority exercised through Prime Minister and Cabinet who must be members of Parliament; judiciary is part of Ministry of Justice but otherwise independent of executive and legislative branches; cases from subordinate courts can be appealed to the High Court and the Court of Appeal
Capital
Mbabane (administrative)
Communists
no Communist party
Government leaders
Head of State, King SOBHUZA II; Prime Minister Prince Mabandla (Fred E.) DLAMINI
Legal system
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; legal education at University of Botswana and Swaziland; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
AFDB, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 September
Official name
Kingdom of Swaziland
Political subdivisions
4 administrative districts
Suffrage
universal for adults
Type
monarchy, under King Sobhuza II; independent member of Commonwealth since September 1968
Economy
Agriculture
main crops—maize, cotton, rice, sugar, and citrus fruits
Aid
economic commitments—Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (1970-79), $165.0 million; US (FY70-80), $42.4 million
Budget
1980/81—revenue $190.0 million, current expenditure $97.1 million, development expenditure $78.2 million
Electric power
75,000 kW capacity (1980); 142 million kWh produced (1980), 251 kWh per capita
Exports
$226.7 million (f.o.b., 1979); sugar, asbestos, wood and forest products, citrus, meat products, cotton, iron ore
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
GDP
approximately $364.4 million (1980), about $700 per capita; annual real growth 3.4% (1973-78)
Imports
$294.8 million (f.o.b., 1979); motor vehicles, petroleum products, foodstuffs, and clothing
Major industry
mining
Major trade partners
South Africa, UK, US
Monetary conversion rate
1 Lilangeni=US$1.20 (1979)
Communications
Airfields
28 total, 26 usable; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
4 major transport aircraft, including 1 leased in
Highways
2,853 km total; 510 km paved, 1,230 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, and 1,113 km improved earth
Railroads
292 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track
Telecommunications
system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and low capacity radio-relay links; 10,700 telephones (2.0 per 100 popl.); 3 AM, 2 FM, and 3 TV stations
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 125,000; 73,000 fit for military service