Swaziland – GENERAL INFORMATION – Facts and Figures

Area        total: 17,363 sq km         water: 160 sq km         land: 17,203 sq km

Population: 1,173,900

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)

Ethnic groups
        African 97%

        European 3%

Capital: Mbabane; note – Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital  (60 000)

Largest Cities: Manzini  (80 000)   Lobamba

Official Language: English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Religion

        Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%        Roman Catholic 20        Muslim 10%        Anglican        Bahai        Methodist        Mormon        Jewish and other 30%  

Political system:  monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

GDP: purchasing power parity – $6.018 billion (2004 est.)   

GDP per head:  purchasing power parity – $5,100 (2004 est.)

Annual growth: 2.5% (2004 est.)  

GDP – composition by sector

        agriculture: 16.1%         industry: 43.4%

        services: 40.5% (2004 est.)