Great Britain gave the Swazi people of South Africa autonomy in the late 1800s, and Swaziland officially gained independence in 1968. While Swaziland has seen some elements of democracy, it has been ruled since independence by King Mswati III. Subsistence agriculture is the main source of employment for the majority of the population, and Swaziland remains heavily economically dependent on South Africa, especially for its imports.

• Country Profile
  • Land Mass/Major Cities – The capital city of Swaziland is Mbabane. It is almost entirely surrounded by South Africa, but also shares a border with Mozambique.
  • Languages – English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)
• Business Activity
  • Agriculture – Cattle, citrus, corn, cotton, goats, peanuts, pineapples, rice, sugarcane, sheep, sheep, sugarcane, and tobacco
  • Industries – Apparel, coal, forestry, soft drink concentrates, sugar, and textiles
  • Natural Resources – Asbestos, cassiterite, clay, coal, diamonds, forests, gold, hydropower, quarry stone, and talc
  • Exports – Canned fruit, cotton yarn, citrus, refrigerators, soft drink concentrates, sugar, and timber
  • Imports – Chemicals, foodstuffs, machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum products, and transport equipment
  • Major Trading Partners – South Africa

Source: CIA. (2017). The World Factbook: Swaziland. CIA. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wz.html