Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.

Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection.

The total area of Swaziland is 7,363 sq km (land: 17,203 sq km, water: 160 sq km) landlocked, surrounded by South Africa. It is slightly smaller than New Jersey.

The climate in Swaziland varies from tropical to near temperate. The Swaziland terrain is mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains. The lowest point in Swaziland is Great Usutu River at 21 meters and the highest point is Emlembe at 1,862 meters.

Swaziland nature resources are asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc.

The current environment issues in Swaziland are limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; and soil erosion.

The Swaziland population is estimated at 1,173,900.  Note: estimates for Swaziland explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS which can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex (July 2005 est.).

Swaziland age distribution:        0-14 years: 40.6% (male 240,643/female 235,895)

                                                15-64 years: 55.6% (male 327,661/female 325,400)

                                                65 years and over: 3.8% (male 19,273/female 25,028) (2005 est.)

                                                Median age:      18.72 years

                                                                        (male: 18.53 yrs.; female: 18.92 yrs.) (2005 est.)

Swaziland birth rate: 27.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Swaziland death rate: 25.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)   

Swaziland infant mortality rate:  69.27 deaths/1,000 live births 

Swaziland Life expectancy at birth:  35.65 years (male: 37.18 years, female: 34.07 years)  

Swaziland HIV/AIDS rate in adults:  38.8% (2003 estimate)

Swazi people living with HIV/AIDS:  220,000 (2003 estimate)

The majority (80 percent) of the Swazi people are Christian and the rest (20 percent) have indigenous beliefs.

The official languages of Swaziland are SiSwati and English although English is used extensively in government and business. SiSwati is used every day by the majority of the population.

The literacy rate (those age 15 and over who can read and write) in Swaziland is 81.6% of the total population.

Swazi independence from the United Kingdom occurred peacefully in 1968.  The Swazi government is a monarchy led by King Mswati III  A constitution was due to be adopted in 2003 but was delayed and rescheduled for early 2005. 

The Swazi capital is Mbabane.  The city of Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital.

The flag of Swaziland is three horizontal bands of blue, red, 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

Economy:  Swaziland is a small, landlocked economy. Subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active.  Tourism is one of Swaziland's biggest industries.

Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports.

For Swaziland overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS.

The unemployment rate in Swaziland is 34%.

40 percent of the Swazi population lives below the poverty line. 

The Swazi household income or consumption by percentage share:  lowest 10% - 1%; highest 10% - 50% (1995).

Swazi agriculture products include sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats and sheep.