President: Dr Nicholas Liverpool Prime minister: Roosevelt Skerrit
Population
1,386,914
73,126
Life Expectancy
49.420 years
76.180 years
Capital City
Mbabane
Largest city
Manzini (population: 110,537)
Roseau (population: 16,571)
Human Development Index
0.542
0.797
GDP per capita
$5,400 US
Literacy Rate
81.6%
94%
Corruption Perception Index
3.6
6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
0%
19.4%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
40.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Legal
Political System
monarchy
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
6 September 1968 (from UK)
Religions
Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)
Languages
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
English (official), French patois
Exports
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
External Debt
$703,100,000 $
Exchange Rate
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.4 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Area
17,364 km sq
751 km sq
Coastline
0 km
148 km
Climate
varies from tropical to near temperate
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
