Eswatini (Swaziland)
Map
of Swaziland |
Hear
National Anthem
"Nkulunkulu Mnikati
wetibusiso temaSwati" (Oh God, Bestower
of the Blessings of the Swazi)
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Text
of National Anthem
Adopted 6 Sep 1968
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Constitution
(8 Feb 2006)
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Capital:
Mbabane
(Bremersdorp 1890-1902;
Enkanini c.1818-1890)
Royal and Legislative
Capital:
Lobamba (from 1967) |
Currencies:
Lilangeni (SZL)
(from 6 Sep 1974), South
African Rand (ZAR); 1920-1961
South African Pound (ZAP)
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National
Holiday: 6 Sep (1968)
Somhlolo
(Independence) Day
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Population:
1,104,479 (2019)
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GDP: $11.6
billion (2017)
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Exports:
$1.83 billion (2017)
Imports: $1.45
billion (2017)
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Ethnic groups:
Swazi 82.3%, Zulu 9.6%, Tsonga 2.3%,
Afrikaner 1.4%, mixed
(white-black) 1%, other 3.4% (2000)
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Total Active
Armed Forces: 3,000 (2010)
Merchant marine:
None (2019)
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Religions:
Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of
Christianity and
indigenous ancestral worship -
40%, Roman Catholic 20%,
other 30% - includes Anglican,
Methodist, Mormon, Jehovah's
Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8%
(includes Baha'i, Buddhist,
Hindu, indigenous religionist,
Jewish) (2015)
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International
Organizations/Treaties: ACP,
AfCFTA,
AfDB, APM, AU, BTWC, C, CCM, CMA,
COMESA, CTBT, CWC, ESCR, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
IRENA, ISA, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OPCW,
PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC,
UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
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Eswatini
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Chronology
c.1760
The Ngwane (or the Dlamini
royal line) settle in the
area of modern southern Swaziland
(Eshiselweni).
c.1850
Name "Swaziland" first coined by
Europeans from the
name
of King Mswazi (Mswati).
8 Aug
1881
Pretoria
Convention, Swazi independence
confirmed
by Transvaal and the U.K. (signed 3
Aug 1881)
(ratified by Transvaal 25 Oct
1881).
27 Feb 1884
London Convention, Swazi
independence reconfirmed by
Transvaal and U.K.
(ratified by Transvaal 8 Aug
1884).
1 Aug 1888 - 21 Feb
1895 Self-government (autonomy)
granted to the White
settlers within Swaziland
by the iNgwenyama
(administered by a tripartite
Boer-British-Swazi
government commission).
24 Jul 1890
Swazi independence
reconfirmed by Transvaal and U.K.
(ratified by South African Republic 7
Aug 1890).
10 Dec 1894
A convention between the
U.K. and Transvaal
(South African Republic)
is signed turning
Swaziland into a Transvaal protectorate
(ratified
by the South African
Republic 13 Feb 1895).
21 Feb 1895 - Jun 1902
Protectorate
of South African Republic (Swazieland).
Jun 1902 - 25
Apr 1967
Protection and administration
transferred to the
monarch of the U.K. "by
virtue of the conquest
and annexation of the South African
Republic",
(by order-in-council effective
7 Aug 1903),
but no formal declaration of a
U.K. protectorate
over
Swaziland was made (Swaziland).
15 Apr
1926
Status
referred by the U.K. Privy
Council as a
protectorate "which approximated in
constitutional
status a crown colony."
1 Jan
1951
U.K.
recognizes the title of the ruler
(iNgwenyama)
and
restores most of his powers (by the
Swaziland Native Administration
Proclamation of
22 Dec 1950).
25 Apr 1967 - 5 Sep
1968 Formal U.K. protectorate.
25 Apr
1967
Autonomy granted (Protected State of
Swaziland).
6 Sep
1968
Independence (Kingdom of Swaziland)(in
official, but
non
statutory use in siSwati: Umbuso
weSwatini).
19 Apr
2018
Kingdom of Eswatini (gazetted
17 May 2018, backdated
to
19 Apr 2018).
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Paramount rulers (title iNgwenyama)¹
c.1760 -
c.1780
Ngwane III
(d. c.1780)
c.1780
Queen Nxumalo (Ndwandwe)(f) -Regent
(= laYaka)
c.1780 -
c.1815
Ndvungunye (= Zikodze, Mavuso II) (b.
c.1760 - d. c.1815)
c.1815
Queen Lomvulo Mndzebele (f) -Regent
(= laKubekha)
c.1815 - 1839
Ngwane IV (= Sobhuza I)(= Somhlolo)(b. c.1795 -
d. 1839)
1839 -
1840
Queen Lojiba Simelane -Regent
(= laMsibandze)
1840 - Aug 1865
Mswati II (= Mavuso III)
(b. c.1827 - d. 1865)
Aug 1865 - Jun
1875 Queen
Thandile Nxumalo (f) -Regent (b. c.1806 - d.
c.1875)
(= laZidze)
Aug 1865 - 18 Mar 1874 Ludvonga II (=
Macaleni) (b.
c.1851 - d. 1874)
(not allowed to accede)
Jun 1875 - 7 Oct 1889
Dlamini IV
(b. c.1855 - d. 1889)
(= Mbandzeni, Nguluqulu, Gaca, Lozighi, Ndaha)
7 Oct 1889 - Feb 1895
Queen Tibati Madvolomafisha
(d. 1895)
Nkambule (f) -Regent
(= laMbandzeni)
19 Feb 1895 - 10 Dec 1899 Ngwane V
(b. c.1875 - d. 1899)
(=
Bhunu, Mahlokohla, Hhili, Ingongobezi)
10 Dec 1899 - 22 Dec 1921 Queen Labotsibeni
Gwamile (b.
c.1859 - d. 1925)
Mdluli (=
laMvelase)(f) -Regent
(referred to as acting Paramount chief)
22 Dec 1921 - 25 Apr 1967 Sobhuza II
(b.
1899 - d. 1982)
(= Nkhotfotjeni, Mona, Mahogoza, Mpandla)
Kings¹
25 Apr 1967 - 21 Aug 1982 Sobhuza
II
(s.a.)
21 Aug 1982 - 9 Aug 1983 Queen
Dzeliwe Shongwe (f) -Regent (b.
c.1927 - d. 2003)
(= nguMetjisi Shongwe)
9 Aug 1983 - 18 Aug 1983 Prince Sozisa
Dlamini
(b. c.1912 -
d. 1992)
("Authorized Person")
18 Aug 1983 - 25 Apr 1986 Queen Ntombi
Tfwala (f) -Regent (b.
c.1950)
(= nguMfelani Tfwala)
25 Apr 1986
-
Mswati
III
(b. 1968)
(=
Makhosetive, Makhosimvelo)
Prime ministers
16 May 1967 - 17 Mar 1976 Prince
Makhosini
Dlamini
(b. 1914 - d. 1978) INM;1973 None
17 Mar 1976 - 25 Oct
1979 Prince Maphevu Harry Dlamini
(b. 1922 - d. 1979) Mil
25 Oct 1979 - 23 Nov 1979
Benjamin "Ben"
Mshamndane
(b. 1931 - d. 2021) Non-party
Nsibandze (acting)
23 Nov 1979 - 25 Mar 1983 Prince
Mabandla Ndawombili Fred (b.
1930)
Non-party
Dlamini
25 Mar 1983 - 6 Oct 1986
Prince Bhekimpi Alpheus Dlamini (b. 1924 -
d. 1999) Non-party
6 Oct 1986 - 12 Jul 1989
Sotsha Ernest Dlamini
(b. 1940 - d. 2017) Non-party
12 Jul 1989 - 25 Oct 1993 Obed
Mfanyana Dlamini
(b. 1937 - d. 2017) Non-party
(acting to 18 Jul 1989)
25 Oct 1993 - 4 Nov 1993 Andreas
Fakudze
(acting)
(b. 19.. - d. 2002?) Non-party
4 Nov 1993 - 8 May
1996 Prince Makhosini Jaheso (Jameson) (b.
1932 - d. 2008) Non-party
Dlamini
8 May 1996 - 26 Jul 1996
Simon Sishayi Nxumalo (acting)
(b. 1936 - d. 2000) Non-party
26 Jul 1996 - 29 Sep 2003
Barnabas Sibusiso
Dlamini
(b. 1942 - d. 2018) Non-party
(1st time)
29 Sep 2003 - 26 Nov 2003 Paul Shabangu
(acting)
(b.
1943?)
Non-party
26 Nov 2003 - 18 Sep 2008 Prince
Absalom Themba Dlamini (b.
1950)
Non-party
18 Sep 2008 - 23 Oct 2008 Prince Bheki R.
Dlamini (acting) (b. 1952?)
Non-party
23 Oct 2008 -
5 Sep 2018 Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini
(s.a.)
Non-party
(2nd time)
5 Sep 2018 - 29 Oct 2018
Vincent Mhlanga (acting)
(b. 1965 - d. 2020) Non-party
29 Oct 2018 - 13 Dec 2020 Ambrose Mandvulo
Dlamini
(b. 1968 - d. 2020) Non-party
13 Dec 2020 - 19 Jul 2021 Themba Nhlanganiso
Masuku (acting) (b.
1950)
Non-party
19 Jul 2021
-
Cleopas Sipho Dlamini
Non-party
Chairmen of the (Provisional 18 Dec 1889 - 13
Sep 1890) Government
Committee
16 May 1887 - Feb 1889 Theophilus
"Offy" Shepstone, Jr. (b. 1843 - d.
1907)
(1st time)
Feb 1889 - 10 May 1889 Allister Mitchell
Miller (b.
1864 - d. 1951)
May 1889 - 18 Dec 1889
Naphtali "Naph" Herz Cohen
(b. 18.. - d. 1907)
18 Dec 1889 - 28 Aug 1894 Theophilus "Offy"
Shepstone, Jr. (s.a.)
(2nd time)
28 Aug 1894 - 21 Feb 1895 George Herbert
Hulett
(b. 1864 - d. 1943)
South African Republic (Transvaal) Special
Commissioner
21 Feb 1895 -
1902
Johannes Christoffel Krogh
(b. 1846 - d. 1921)
British Special Commissioner (subordinated
to the governor of Transvaal)
24 Aug 1902 - Mar
1907 Francis Greenock Herbert
Enraght- (b. 1865 - d. 1943)
Moony
British Resident Commissioners, Swaziland
(subordinated to the High Commissioner
for Southern Africa to 3 Oct 1963)
Mar 1907 - Oct 1907
Francis Greenock Herbert Enraght-
(s.a.)
Moony (interim)
Apr 1907 - Jan
1916 Robert
Thorne
Coryndon
(b. 1870 - d. 1925)
(acting for Enraght-Moony to Oct
1907)
1916 - Oct
1928 De
Symons Montagu George Honey (b. 1872 - d.
1945)
(acting to 1 Jan 1917)
Oct 1928 - 1 Apr 1935
Thomas
Ainsworth-Dickson
(b. 1881 - d. 1935)
Apr 1935 - Sep
1935 John Rae
Armstrong (acting) (b.
1881 - d. 1955?)
Oct 1935 - Nov
1937 Allan
Graham
Marwick
(b. 1877 - d. 1966)
2 Nov 1937 - 1942
Charles Lamb
Bruton
(b. 1890 - d. 1969)
30 Sep 1942 - 1946
Eric Kellett
Featherstone
(b. 1896 - d. 1965)
25 Aug 1946 -
1951
Edward Betham
Beetham
(b. 1905 - d. 1979)
5 Mar 1951 - 1956
David Loftus
Morgan
(b. 1904 - d. 1976)
19 Dec 1956 - 16 Oct 1963 Brian Allan
Marwick
(b. 1908 - d. 1992)
(from 8 Jun 1963, Sir Brian Allan Marwick)
Commissioners for Swaziland
16 Oct 1963 - 1 May 1964 Sir Brian
Allan
Marwick
(s.a.)
12 May 1964 - 5 Sep 1968 Francis
Alfred
Lloyd
(b. 1916 - d. 2006)
(from 12
Jun 1965, Sir Francis Alfred Lloyd)
¹Style of the rulers:
(a) in the Convention of 1894: called "Paramount
Chief of the Swazies in Swazieland";
(b) 22 Dec 1921 - 25 Apr 1967:
normally referred to as "Paramount Chief of Swaziland"
for official purposes during the period when the
sovereignty over Swaziland was exercised by the monarch
of the United Kingdom;
(c) 25 Apr 1967 - 8 Feb 2006: "King of
Swaziland";
(d) 8 Feb 2006 - 17 May 2018: "King and iNgwenyama
of Swaziland", where iNgwenyama
means "The Ngwenyama" (literally the 'Lion');
title of the Queen Mother is Ndlovukazi
(literally translated as 'Great She-Elephant') recorded
in the Constitutions (1968, 2005) is the isiZulu form of
the siSwati word Ndlovukazi;
(d) from 17 May 2018 (backdated to 19
Apr 2018): King and iNgwenyama of Eswatini;
(e) claimed ancestors of the founder of the polity of
the Dlamini clan, officially considered and counted as
kings: Dlamini I, Mswati I, Ngwane II, Dlamini II, Nkosi
II, Mavuso I, Magudulela, Ludvonga
(I), and Dlamini III.
Territorial Dispute: In 2006, the
Swazi king advocated resorting to ICJ to claim parts of
Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa.
Party abbreviations (the status of
political parties, previously banned in 1973, is unclear
under the 2006 Constitution and currently being
debated);
- Former parties:
INM = Imbokodvo National Movement
(royalist, Swazi nationalist, 1964-12 Apr 1973)
© Ben Cahoon
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