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

Data code WZ

Government type monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

National capital Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)

Administrative divisions 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence 6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

Legal system based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage NA; note - no suffrage before September 1993; 55 of the 65 seats in the House of Assembly were filled by popular vote in the elections of September and October 1993; of a population of less than 1 million, the electorate numbered 283,693

Executive branch
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the king
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; prime minister appointed by the king

Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (20 seats, 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 10 appointed by the king; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats, 10 appointed by the king and 55 elected by secret, popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 26 September and 11 October 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates 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, judges are appointed by the king; Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders
note: political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings
illegal parties: Peoples' United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]; Swaziland Youth Congress or SWAYOCO (included in PUDEMO); Swaziland Communist Party or SWACOPA [Mphandlana SHONGWE]; Swaziland Liberation Front or FROLISA; Convention for Full Democracy in Swaziland or COFUDESWA [Sabelo DLAMINI]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO; Ngwane Socialist Revolutionary Party or NGWASOREP; Swaziland Democratic Alliance (represents key opposition parties) [Jerry NXUMALO]; Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions or SFTU [Jan SITHOLE]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
chancery: Suite 3M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan R. McKEE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone: [268] 46441 through 46445
FAX: [268] 45959

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

NOTE: The information regarding Swaziland on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Swaziland Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Swaziland Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.