Eswatini

Introduction

Background

Autonomy for Eswatini was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2006, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in April 2018. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini has one of the lowest GDP growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa and suffers from severe poverty and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections.    

Geography

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates

26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 17,364 sq km
land: 17,204 sq km
water: 160 sq km
country comparison to the world: 159

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries

total: 546 km
border countries (2): Mozambique 108 km, South Africa 438 km

Coastline

0 km(landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation

mean elevation: 305 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

agricultural land: 68.3% (2011 est.)
arable land: 9.8% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 57.7% (2011 est.)
forest: 31.7% (2011 est.)
other: 0% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

500 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains

Natural hazards

drought

Environment - current issues

limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; population growth, deforestation, and overgrazing lead to soil erosion and soil degradation

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People and Society

Population

1,087,200 (July 2018 est.)
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
country comparison to the world: 160

Nationality

noun: liSwati (singular), emaSwati (plural); note - former term, Swazi(s), still used among English speakers
adjective: Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers

Ethnic groups

African 97%, European 3%

Languages

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

Religions

Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – more than 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals.Swazis, mainly men from the country’s rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a "brain drain" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today’s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping.

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.41%(male 186,747 /female 187,412)
15-24 years: 19.31%(male 99,192 /female 110,770)
25-54 years: 38.22%(male 193,145 /female 222,405)
55-64 years: 4.28%(male 19,915 /female 26,663)
65 years and over: 3.77%(male 15,470 /female 25,481) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 68.8 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 63.5 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 19.1 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 23.2 years (2018 est.)
male: 22.2 years
female: 24 years
country comparison to the world: 175

Population growth rate

0.82% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

Birth rate

25.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Death rate

10.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Net migration rate

-6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Population distribution

because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains

Urbanization

urban population: 24% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 2.46% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

437 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Infant mortality rate

total: 46.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 51.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.7 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 33

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 57.2 years (2018)
male: 55.1 years
female: 59.3 years
country comparison to the world: 215

Total fertility rate

2.63 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68

Contraceptive prevalence rate

66.1% (2014)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 93.6% of population
rural: 68.9% of population
total: 74.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 6.4% of population
rural: 31.1% of population
total: 25.9% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

7.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 63.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 56% of population (2015 est.)
total: 57.5% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 36.9% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 44% of population (2015 est.)
total: 42.5% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

27.3% (201 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

210,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,400 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
vectorborne diseases: malaria (2016)
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.5% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 124

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.8% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 79

Education expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 13

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.5%
male: 87.4%
female: 87.5% (2015)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 11 years (2013)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 47.1%
male: 44.2%
female: 50.1% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 5

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Eswatini
conventional short form: Eswatini
local long form: Umbuso weSwatini
local short form: eSwatini
former: Swaziland
etymology: the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified
note: pronounced ay-swatini or eh-swatini

Government type

absolute monarchy

Capital

name: Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 26 19 S, 31 08 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after a Swati chief, Mbabane Kunene, who lived in the area at the onset of British settlement

Administrative divisions

4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence

6 September 1968 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)

Constitution

history: previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006
amendments: proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king (2017)

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

International law organization participation

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Eswatini
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age

Executive branch

chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo DLAMINI (since 27 October 2018); Deputy Prime Minister Themba MASUKU (since 6 November 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament (Libandla) consists of:
Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms)
House of Assembly (73 seats; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, 4 women elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30%; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023)
House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results: Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 20, women 10, percent of women 33.3%
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 60, women 5, percent of women 7.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.8%

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 4 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional matters
judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)

Political parties and leaders

political parties exist, but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:
African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI]
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Dr. Alvit DLAMINI]
People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]
Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Njabuliso Busisiwe Sikhulile GWEBU (since 24 April 2017)
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa J. PETERSON (since February 2016)
telephone: [268] 2417-9000
embassy: corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini,
P.O. Box 0202,The Gables, H106, Eswatini
mailing address: P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106
FAX: [268] 2416-3344

Flag description

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

National symbol(s)

lion, elephant; national colors: blue, yellow, red

National anthem

name: "Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)
lyrics/music: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT
note: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles

Economy

Economy - overview

A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the north, west and south by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the east. Eswatini depends on South Africa for a majority of its exports and imports. Eswatini's currency is pegged to the South African rand, effectively relinquishing Eswatini's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for almost half of its revenue. Eswatini is a lower middle income country. As of 2017, more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Eswatini has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate, a financial strain and source of economic instability.The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and soft drink concentrate are the largest foreign exchange earners, although a drought in 2015-16 decreased sugar production and exports. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods are persistent problems. Mining has declined in importance in recent years. Coal, gold, diamond, and quarry stone mines are small scale, and the only iron ore mine closed in 2014. With an estimated 28% unemployment rate, Eswatini's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute.Eswatini's national development strategy, which expires in 2022, prioritizes increases in infrastructure, agriculture production, and economic diversification, while aiming to reduce poverty and government spending. Eswatini's revenue from SACU receipts are likely to continue to decline as South Africa pushes for a new distribution scheme, making it harder for the government to maintain fiscal balance without introducing new sources of revenue.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$11.6 billion (2017 est.)
$11.41 billion (2016 est.)
$11.26 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 157

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.417 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (2017 est.)
1.4% (2016 est.)
0.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,100 (2017 est.)
$10,100 (2016 est.)
$10,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 139

Gross national saving

25.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
29.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
23.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 64% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 13.4% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -46.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 6.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 45% (2017 est.)
services: 48.6% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, corn, cotton, citrus, pineapples, cattle, goats

Industries

soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Labor force

427,900 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 30.4%
services: 58.9% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

28% (2014 est.)
28% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Population below poverty line

63% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.1% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.4 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 16

Budget

revenues: 1.263 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.639 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Public debt

28.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
25.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.2% (2017 est.)
7.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

Central bank discount rate

7.25% (31 December 2016)
6.5% (31 December 2015)
country comparison to the world: 43

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.75% (31 December 2017 est.)
10.25% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Stock of narrow money

$554.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$439 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168

Stock of broad money

$554.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$439 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

Stock of domestic credit

$1.144 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$891.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

Market value of publicly traded shares

$203.1 million (31 December 2007)
$199.9 million (31 December 2006)
NA
country comparison to the world: 117

Current account balance

$604 million (2017 est.)
$642 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Exports

$1.83 billion (2017 est.)
$1.577 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Exports - partners

South Africa 94% (2017)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$1.451 billion (2017 est.)
$1.266 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 81.6%, China 5.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$563.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$564.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

Debt - external

$526.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$468.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

NA

Exchange rates

emalangeni per US dollar -
14.44 (2017 est.)
14.6924 (2016 est.)
14.6924 (2015 est.)
12.7581 (2014 est.)
10.8469 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

population without electricity: 900,000 (2017)
electrification - total population: 65.8% (2016)
electrification - urban areas: 82.8% (2016)
electrification - rural areas: 61.2% (2016)

Electricity - production

381 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - consumption

1.431 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016)
country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - imports

1.077 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Electricity - installed generating capacity

295,900 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - from fossil fuels

39% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - from other renewable sources

41% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018)
country comparison to the world: 129

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Refined petroleum products - consumption

5,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,279 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.14 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 42,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 995,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Telephone system

general assessment: earlier government monopoly in telecommunications hindered its growth; new regulatory authority established in 2013 has aided expansion in the telecom sector; 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE services (2018)
domestic: Eswatini has 2 mobile-cellular providers; communication infrastructure has a geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscriber base; fixed-line stands at 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 68 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay (2018)
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes are able to access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)

Internet country code

.sz

Internet users

total: 414,724
percent of population: 28.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 7,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2018)
1.8% of GDP (2017)
1.81% of GDP (2016)
1.78% of GDP (2015)
1.81% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 77

Military and security forces

Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Ground Force (includes Air Wing (no operational aircraft)) (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted (2012)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 89,791 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

3 (2016)

Airports

14 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 148

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 (2019)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 12 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013)
under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Railways

total: 301 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 301 km1.067-m gauge (2014)
country comparison to the world: 122

Roadways

total: 3,769 km (2019)
country comparison to the world: 153

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

in 2006, Swati king advocated resorting to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Flag of Eswatini