ctions: House of
Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: for election are nominated by the local council of
each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with
the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single
winner by a second round

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: political parties are banned by the
constitution - the following are considered political associations
- Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National
Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United
Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland
National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary
Madzandza KANYA FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through
404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red
band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence
agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing
features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the
depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits
were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for
asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are
the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except
for a short border with Mozamb