 Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form:Swaziland local long form:Umbuso weSwatini local short form:eSwatini
Government type:
monarchy
Capital:
name:Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capitalgeographic coordinates:26 19 S, 31 08 E time difference:UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Independence:
6 September 1968 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Constitution:
previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006 (2013)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state:King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)head of government:Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since 23 October 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso MASUKU (since 2008) cabinet:Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections:none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members elected by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members to serve five-year terms)elections:House of Assembly - last held on 20 September 2013 (next scheduled for September 2018) election results:House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election 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:
highest court(s):the Supreme Court of the Judicature comprising the Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 5 justices) and the High Court (consists of the chief justice - ex officio - and at least 4 justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all constitutional mattersnote - the national constitution as amended in 2006 shifted judicial power from the monarch and vested it exclusively in the judiciary judge selection and term of office:justices of the Supreme Court of the Judicature are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission or JCS, a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the JCS head; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75 for Supreme Court justices and at age 70 for High Court justices subordinate courts:magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional law (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)
| | Political parties and leaders:
the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the 2006 Constitution and currently being debated; the following are considered political associationsAfrican United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president] Imbokodvo National Movement or INM {headed by the Royal Family] Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president] People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Swaziland Democracy Campaign
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Abednigo Mandla NTSHANGASE (since 19 July 2010)chancery:1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone:[1] (202) 234-5002 FAX:[1] (202) 234-8254
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Makila JAMES (since 27 August 2012)embassy:7th Floor, Central Bank Building, Mahlokohla St., Mbabane mailing address:P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone:[268] 404-6441 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; blue stands for peace and stability, red represents past struggles, and yellow the mineral resources of the country; the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from the country's enemies, while the black and white of the shield are meant to portray black and white people living in peaceful coexistence
National symbol(s):
lion; elephant
National anthem:
name:'Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati' (Oh God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)
lyrics/music:Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT note:adopted 1968; the anthem uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles |