Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower,
forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 62%
forests and woodland : 7%
other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: limited supplies of potable water;
wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting;
overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South
Africa

@Swaziland:People

Population: 1,031,600 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 234,628; female 236,056)
15-64 years: 52% (male 255,775; female 280,416)
65 years and over: 2% (male 10,291; female 14,434) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.24% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.71 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population : 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 86.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.7 years
male: 53.67 years
female: 61.84 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.01 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%

Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%

Languages: English (official, government business conducted in
English), siSwati (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.7%
male : 78%
female: 75.6% (1995 est.)

@Swaziland:Government

Country name:
conventional long form : Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland

Data code: WZ

Government type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

National capital: