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.)