Capital: Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal
and legislative capital
Currency: Lilangeni (SZL)
Borders: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Swaziland is Zulu territory. It is a land-locked country, located on
the far eastern border of South Africa. Apart from being surrounded
by South Africa on three sides, the eastern border faces Mozambique.
It is one of the few surviving Kingdoms within the African
continent. The monarchy is something that Swaziland is very proud
of. Swaziland is one of the world's smaller countries with a total
landmass of 17,363 sq km and a population density of 55 people per
sq km. The western area of Swaziland and the far east of the country
are mountainous regions, giving way to grassy savannah and plains in
the east. The northwest of Swaziland is the most fertile region and
is home to a series of dense rainforests. Natural features include
the Lusutfu River and the Lebombo and Drakensburg Mountains, which
lay on the east and western borders respectively. There are a number
of excellent national parks within Swaziland but by far the most
accessible is the Mlilwane National Park. Here you will find hippo,
elephant, rare white rhinos, lions and much more.
The people of Swaziland are known collectively as
Swazis. They are a vibrant, fun, hospitable race, clinging onto many
customs and traditions. Many Swazis still own and adorn Zulu warrior
wear, which is a photographic sight if ever there was one. The
capital city is Mbabane although Lobamba is the royal and
legislative capital. The population of Swaziland is 1,123,605. The
national unit of currency is the lilangeni and the official
languages spoken are English and siSwati.
Agriculture is the main economic activity within Swaziland with 80%
of the country's workforce employed within this sector. Agricultural
produce includes sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
pineapples, sorghum and peanuts. The industries of Swaziland are
coal mining, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates and textiles.
Swaziland is also the possessor of valuable natural assets such as
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite plus gold and diamond deposits.
The climate of Swaziland is tropical to temperate. The temperate
climate can be found in areas of highland plateau where temperatures
tend to be somewhat cooler. Winters are dry and mild and summers
tend to be very hot, humid and wet. |
