| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form:
Swaziland
|
| Government type: |
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
|
| Capital: |
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
|
| Administrative divisions: |
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
|
| Independence: |
6 September 1968 (from UK)
|
| National holiday: |
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 was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted
|
| 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: |
18 years of age
|
| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government:
Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)
cabinet:
Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
|
| Legislative branch: |
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 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 16 and 24 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; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
|
| Political parties and leaders: |
Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]; Swaziland Progressive Party or SPP [J. J. NQUKU, president]; Swaziland United Front or SUF [Matsapa SHONGWE, leader]
note:
political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings; the organizations listed are political associations
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
|
| 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, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
chancery:
3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 362-6683
FAX:
[1] (202) 244-8059
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gregory L. JOHNSON
embassy:
Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address:
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone:
[268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
FAX:
[268] 404-5959
|
| 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
|
|
