About Us
Eswatini
Eswatini (officially Kingdom of Eswatini) was previously called Kingdom of Swaziland.
Located in the sub-Sahara region of Africa, where it adjoins Mozambique and South Africa. A landlocked country with a wide variety of climates, it extends about 110 miles from north to south and about 80 miles from west to east at its largest dimensions (similar to New Jersey in size).
Despite being one of the smallest countries in Africa, its climate and topography are diverse. The government is an absolute monarchy – the last of its kind in Africa and has been ruled by King Maswati III since 1986.
Agriculture & Forestry
Eswatini is a developing country and is classified as a lower-middle economy.
The majority of the country’s employment is provided by the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
A mixture of subsistence and commercial farming is practiced in Eswatini. The staple crop is corn, and other crops include sorghum (mainly for the brewing of traditional beer), pumpkins, beans, peas, and other vegetables. Crop yields are generally low, but the more progressive farmers produce on a par with the large-scale commercial sector. By introducing hydroponics to the Eswatini, more of the population can become self-sufficient. Because of the role of cattle as a traditional store of wealth, the livestock population, mostly cattle and goats, greatly exceeds the country’s carrying capacity and is a major cause of vegetation loss and soil erosion.
The largest agro-industry is the cultivation of sugarcane and the manufacture of sugar. Also of major commercial importance are the extensive man-made forests of pine and eucalyptus (in the Highveld), which supply timber to a wood pulp mill and several sawmills. Unbleached wood pulp is the country’s second largest export after sugar.
With a younger population and a median age of 22 years, the Swazi population faces major health issues: HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (to a less extent) are widespread while 28% of the adult population is HIV-positive. The average lifespan here is only 58 years.
To learn more about the Kingdom of Eswatini, visit https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/kingdom-eswatini.
