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Kingdom of Swaziland
Ruler: King Mswati III (1986)
Prime Minister: Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini (1996)
Land area: 6,641 sq mi (17,200 sq km); total area: 6,704 sq mi (sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 1,136,334 (growth rate: –0.2%); birth rate: 27.4/1000;
infant mortality rate: 71.8/1000; life expectancy: 32.6; 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 (2005 est.): $6.222 billion; per capita $5,500. Real
growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 4%. 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.
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