Swaziland is a small country in the east of South Africa and bordered by Mozambique. It is the homeland of the Swazi nation, one of the most colourful and traditional peoples in Africa, still ruled by their King. Swaziland is a country of beautiful natural scenery, from the highveld in the west to the lowveld of the east. It is home to a number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, known for their picturesque and exciting walking safaris. Explore in depth highlights of Swaziland.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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| groups tours with set departures |
0 World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +2 (Central Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | English, SiSwati |
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| Currency: |
lilangeni (SZL) €1 = SZL16.22, $1 = SZL14.53, £1 = SZL19.33 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .sz | International Dialling Code: 268 |
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For help planning your trip to Swaziland including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Swaziland trip planning page.
Further information on Swaziland
Discover more about Swaziland - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 17,363 sq km (160 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Mozambique (105km), South Africa (430km)
Climate: Climate varies from tropical to near temperate depending on altitude.
Highest mountain: Emlembe (1,862m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Swaziland from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Authoritarian regime | 140/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 91/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 153/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 69/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 165/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Kingdom of Swaziland Status: Independent Country
Population: 1,419,623 (rank: 150/196) Density: 81.7 people/sq km (rank: 97/196)
Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%
Religions: Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
GDP (PPP): $6.26 billion GDP per capita: $5,700 (rank: 125/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.