Type of government: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
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) is a
hereditary monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Jameson Mbilini DLAMINI
(since 12 November 1993); appointed by the king
cabinet: Cabinet; designated by the king
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament is advisory Senate: consists of 30 members (10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the king) House of Assembly: elections last held 26 September and 11 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; of the total of 65 seats, 10 are appointed by the king and 55 are elected by secret, popular vote; 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