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 monarch; members serve five-year
terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats—10 appointed by the
monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Assembly—last held NA September and NA October
1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
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 monarch;
Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the monarch
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: People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO
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, OPCW, 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
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
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
Economy—overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; 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 Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nearly all of its imports and to which it sends more than half of its exports. Remittances from Swazi workers in South African mines supplement domestically earned income by as much as 20%. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, and drought persist as problems for the future.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$4 billion (1998 est.)