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Kingdom of Swaziland
Ruler: King Mswati III (1986)
Prime Minister: Barnabas Sibusiso
Dlamini (1996)
Current government officials
Land area: 6,641 sq mi (17,200 sq km);
total area: 6,704 sq mi (17,363 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 1,133,066
(growth rate: –0.3%); birth rate: 27.0/1000; infant mortality rate:
70.7/1000; life expectancy: 32.2; density per sq mi: 171
Capital (2003 est.):
Mbabane, 69,000; Royal and legislative
capital: Lobamba, circa 5,000
Largest city: Manzini, 75,000
Monetary unit: Lilangeni
Languages:
English, siSwati (both official)
Ethnicity/race:
African 97%, European 3%
Religions:
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and
indigenous ancestral worship) 40%; Roman Catholic 20%; Muslim 10%;
Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish, and other 30%
Literacy rate: 82% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007
est.): $5.626 billion; per capita $4,800. Real growth rate:
2.4%. Inflation: 8.2%. Unemployment: 40%. Arable
land: 10%. Agriculture: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco,
rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep.
Labor force: 155,700 (2003). Industries: mining (coal,
raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile
and apparel. Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay,
cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits,
quarry stone, talc. Exports: $1.991 billion f.o.b. (2005
est.): soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit. Imports: $2.149
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): motor vehicles, machinery, transport
equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals. Major
trading partners: South Africa, EU, U.S., Mozambique, Japan,
Singapore (2004).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 38,500 (2001); mobile cellular: 45,000 (2001). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3
(2001). Radios: 170,000 (1999). Television broadcast
stations: 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001). Televisions:
23,000 (2000). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2002).
Internet users: 7,000 (2002).
Transportation: Railways: total: 301 km
(2002). Highways: total: 3,247 km (1998). Ports and
harbors: none. Airports: 18 (2002).
International disputes: none.
Major sources and definitions
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