Swaziland map in Russian. capital of swaziland, flag, history of the country. where is swaziland located on the world map. Full description of Swaziland Swaziland state system
Swaziland is an amazing country. I would never have thought it was Africa. Here are different people, different nature, different architecture. It is located between South Africa and Mozambique. In size, it is slightly larger than the Kaliningrad region. Swaziland is famous for the fact that every fourth inhabitant of this small country is infected with the HIV immunodeficiency virus (26.1% according to a 2007 UN estimate), which is the highest level among countries in the world. There is also a wonderful tradition here. Every year the king chooses a new wife for himself. It takes place at the Reed Dance (Umhlanga) - an annual mass celebration, culminating in the dance of several thousand half-naked Swazi virgins. King Mswati III, the last absolute monarch in Africa, already has 13 wives.
01. Visa is issued in 3 minutes at the border. Everything goes quickly and without delay. Swaziland has excellent roads. Riding in this small mountainous country is a pleasure. 
02. Monkeys run in the reeds. 
03. The king is very young, he is depicted on all the banknotes of the kingdom. By the way, he has 67 brothers. This is such a big and friendly family. In April 2011, thousands of opposition rallies were held across the country demanding the resignation of Mswati III. The opposition accuses the monarch of plundering the state treasury in order to provide a luxurious life for himself and his 13 wives. On April 12, the police, using special equipment, dispersed a rally in the capital of Swaziland, arresting 13 rally organizers. Almost like ours ;) 
04. Autumn in Swaziland.... 
05. Most Swazilanders are 40% syncretists (beliefs based on a combination of Christianity with aboriginal cults), 20% are Catholics. They go to church in uniform. 
06. Public transport is bad here. Some walk 10-20 kilometers to work every day. 
07. Children, like everywhere else, are very friendly and curious. 
08. Look how charming they have a cart. 
09. THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?? 
10. But adults do not like to be photographed. This cute street hairdresser decided to throw a bottle at the photographer. Well, what kind of manners? 
11. The capital is Mbabane. 
12. The city is clean, small and completely stupid. 
13. Roads are good. 
14. In the evening everyone roasts corn. 
15. View of the capital. 
16. Panorama.
Click on the photo to view in large size.
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18. Some kind of huge granite rock. It is said to be the second largest solid piece of granite in the world. The first is in Australia. 
19. There is really a lot of granite here. You can make a huge statue of the king;) 
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22. It is very beautiful in the mountains. 
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32. Mswati III is on the list of the 15 richest monarchs in the world according to Forbes magazine. His fortune is estimated at more than $100 million. Each of his 13 wives lives in a separate palace. 
33. At the same time, Swaziland is one of the poorest countries in the world, 60% of the country's population lives on less than $2 a day. 
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35. Aluminum utensils). I think my laptop is in here somewhere right now. 
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Tomorrow we will see how the locals live.
By the way, what is the best way to post reports, by topic or as "travel notes" by day?
I also post some posts on
The Kingdom of Swaziland has two capitals.
The administrative capital of the kingdom is the city of Mbabane and the legislative capital is the city of Lo-bamba, which also houses the royal residence.
King of the state Mswati III, rules from 1986 to the present.
Prime Minister since 1996 Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.
Swaziland on the world map
Information and History of Swaziland
The Kingdom of Swaziland has an area of 17,400 sq. km, the population is about 832,000 people.
The urban population is 28%, the literacy rate is 55%.
Monetary unit of the Kingdom of Swaziland: lilangeni.
Most of the population, about 74%, is employed in agriculture. The ethnic composition of the population is about 90% of purebred Africans, mainly Swazi, Zulu, Tonga, Shangaap tribes.
The official language in the country is English and Swazi. The religious views of the population are distributed as follows: Christians (36%), Catholics (11%), members of independent African churches (28%) and 20% adhere to traditional beliefs.
The Kingdom of Swaziland came into existence in 1968. The type of government in the country is an absolute monarchy.
The country is divided into four districts governed by regional councils made up of representatives of the 40 tribes into which the nation is subdivided.
Capital MbabaneSwaziland, a traditional Swazi kingdom, was jointly ruled by the United Kingdom and the Boer-founded Transvaal Republic. This lasted from 1890 until the end of the South African War, which lasted from 1899 to 1902.
In 1904, the country was forcibly turned into a British protectorate, and in 1907 it became the territory of the High Commissioner.
The act of Parliament of the United Kingdom of 1910, which proclaimed the formation of the Union of South Africa, provided for the possible inclusion of Swaziland, along with other territories of the High Commissioner's office, into the union, but the British government stated that this would not happen without the consent of the citizens. Knowing this point, the South African government repeatedly asked Swaziland to come under its jurisdiction, but this was opposed by the British government and the people of Swaziland themselves. Requests of this kind ceased in 1967, when Swaziland gained the right to internal self-government, and subsequently achieved the status of a fully independent state within the Commonwealth, which happened in 1968.
The 1963 constitution, introduced by the British government before Swaziland gained full independence, provided for a parliamentary system of government with King Sobhuza II as head of government. In 1973, with the consent of the assembly, the king abolished the constitution and received unlimited power.
In 1978, a new constitution was adopted, providing for a bicameral Assembly, whose deputies were partly appointed by the king, partly elected by an electoral college representing 40 tribes.
King Sobhuza died in 1982, and, according to Swazi tradition, the position of head of state passed to Queen Mother Dzeliva, who should hold this post until the crown prince Mahosetiv reaches 21 in 1989. However, in August 1983, Queen Dzelive was overthrown from the throne ex-wife Sobhuza's king, Ntombi, officially appointed royal regent in October.
Among the members royal family a struggle for power began, and in November 1984 it was announced that the crown prince would ascend the throne in April 1986, that is, three years before reaching the required age. In April 1986, he was officially proclaimed King Msuati III (b. 1968).
During 1991, a royal commission toured the country, studying the opinion of the population about changes in the constitution.
In 1993, direct elections were held for the Assembly, and in 1994 the King announced the need for a commission representing government and foreign interests to draft a new constitution.
Local residents of the country transport brushwood It is a member of the South African Customs Union, Swaziland has close economic relations with South Africa, and the South African rand is freely circulated in the country along with the national currency.
In May 1996, the King unexpectedly removed Prince Jameson Mbilini Dlamini from his post and the Prime Minister, appointing Barnabas Sibusizo Dlamini instead. The ban on organizing and operating political parties was not lifted despite strikes and massive pro-democracy demonstrations throughout 1996 and 1997.
Dlamini was reappointed Prime Minister, but the results of elections to the Legislative Assembly in October 1998, then the king dissolved the 21-member deliberative National Council of Swaziland.
On April 20, 2018, the King of Swaziland, Mswati III, renamed the Kingdom of Swaziland to the name of the Kingdom of Eswatini, returning the state to its historical name, which it had before colonization by Great Britain. The new name means "Land of Swazi".
How to get to Swaziland from Russia
There are no direct flights from Russia to Swaziland. To get to the country from Russia, you need to fly to Johannesburg, (South Africa), then fly to Manzini Airport by local airlines. The second option can be reached by car from South Africa or Mozambique.
A visa to Swaziland for citizens of the Russian Federation is required, you can get it upon arrival in the country, directly on the spot.
The cost is about 35 dollars.
Advice: if you pay for a visa when entering the country from South Africa with South African rand, or when entering from Mozambique with meticals, the cost of a visa will be much cheaper than when paying in US dollars.
What to visit in Swaziland
In view of the small size of the country, we do not recommend flying to Swaziland purposefully, but we recommend visiting it when visiting South Africa or Mozambique.
There are not many attractions in the country, and in general, 3-4 days are enough to visit this small country.
Main attractions:
It is the second largest granite monolith in.
It is smaller than Mount Uluru in Australia. Located near the city of Mbabane, about 10 kilometers.
Climbing the mountain takes an average of about 4 hours.
Mbuluzi Game Reserve
The Mbuluzi Nature Reserve is located in the northeast of the kingdom, about an hour's drive from the city of Manzini.
A huge number of representatives of the African fauna, including the African five, live on the territory of the reserve. On its territory, you can stay at a campsite and a mini-hotel for a couple of days, where you can also book a tour of the reserve.
Ethno villages of Shevula and Mantenga.
In ethno villages, the life of the local population of the kingdom is presented, you can walk around the village, look into the dwellings of the inhabitants, watch performances of national traditional songs and dances.
Royal Hlane National Park
The largest reserve of the kingdom, you can look at the big five of Africa. You can stay at a local campsite, and take a tour of the reserve there. We recommend Ndlovu Camp cottage village.
Reserve Mkhaya
One of the largest nature reserves in Swaziland, located in the southeast of the country.
You can stay in the hotel complex Stone Camp
Features of rest in Swaziland
Malaria and yellow fever are possible, so when entering the country it is recommended to be vaccinated against yellow fever, and to use mosquito nets while sleeping.
The country has a rather big problem with medicine, a very small number of medical centers and clinics, so even food poisoning can become quite a serious problem. It is worth eating in normal establishments or at hotels, drinking only bottled water.
In the Kingdom of Swaziland, it is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages on public transport; you can end up in a local prison.
Do not walk around the country at night, due to the low standard of living of the local population, you can become a victim of robbery or violence.
Basic moments
The surface is the Veld plateau (height up to 1445 m), decreasing in ledges from west to east. The climate is transitional from subtropical to tropical, arid. The average monthly temperatures in summer are 20-24 °С, in winter 12-15 °С, precipitation is from 500 to 1400 mm per year. Savannah. In con. 1830s a large association of Swazi tribes arose on the territory of Swaziland. In 1903-1968. Swaziland was under British protectorate. Independent state since 1968.
Economically underdeveloped agricultural country. Main agricultural crops: corn, sugarcane, citrus fruits, pineapples, cotton. Transhumance-pasture animal husbandry. Mining of asbestos, coal, iron ore. Artificial afforestations have been created on the site of the reduced primary forests. Logging. Sugar, woodworking, canning factories. Main foreign trade partners: South Africa, Canada, USA, Great Britain. The monetary unit is the lilangeni.
Nature
The surface of Swaziland is a highland that drops eastward to the coastal plain of Mozambique in three stages: the High Weld (1000–1500 m above sea level), the Middle Weld (400–800 m) and the Low Weld (150–300 m). Located in the west, the High Veld is characterized by a dissected relief, some peaks exceed 1800 m, the highest point is Mount Emlembe (1862 m). The middle Weld is characterized by a leveled surface and is favorable for dribbling. Agriculture. The Low Weld is famous for its rich pastures and forests, bounded to the east by the Lebombo Mountains.
Swaziland has significant mineral resources - diamonds, asbestos, gold, iron, coal, kaolin, tin, pyrophyllite, semi-precious stones (beryl, quartz, etc.) and talc.
Dense river network, the largest rivers are Komati, Ngvavuma, Umbeluzi, Usutu. The main rivers of Swaziland cut through these mountains and flow into the Indian Ocean.
The High Weld region is characterized by a subtropical climate with average temperatures ranging from 16° to 22° C and an average annual rainfall of 1200–1400 mm or more. The Middle Weld and the Lebombo Mountains are in the transition zone, while the Low Weld is in the tropical climate belt with average temperatures of 20–24°C and an average annual rainfall of 500–700 mm.
Flora - meadow in the High Veld region and forest savannah in the eastern part of the country (various acacias, including Australian, American pines, baobabs, gum tree, xerophytic shrubs, eucalyptus trees, etc.)
Fauna - meet different types antelopes (including markhorns), hippos, white rhinos, zebras, crocodiles. The tsetse fly is spread throughout the area.
culture
The origin of the fine arts in Swaziland began long before our era. e. In the caves and grottoes of the Dragon Mountains, Bushmen rock paintings have been preserved - images of people, animals or fantastic creatures, made with mineral and earthen paints, as well as lime and soot, diluted in water and animal fat.
Of the crafts and arts and crafts, pottery, blacksmithing, metalworking (bronze and copper), weaving of grass and straw baskets and mats, the production of leather goods, as well as wood and horn carving are common. Products of folk craftsmen are presented in the exposition of the National Museum of Swaziland in Lobamba (founded in 1972).
Music. Playing musical instruments, songs and dances are closely related to everyday life Swazi people. Traditional rituals are accompanied by singing and dancing (women's dance with knives, "reeds" - the dance of girls during the initiation ceremony, etc.).
The first schools were opened during Christian missions in the beginning. 19th century
The education system is underdeveloped, education is not compulsory. Primary schools (the term of study is 7 years) are attended by children from the age of 6. Secondary education (5 years) begins at the age of 13 and takes place in two stages - three and two years. Primary education covers 98% of children of the corresponding age (2002). into the system higher education includes the University of Swaziland (located in the suburbs of Manzini Kvaluseni, opened in 1964 as an integral part of the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, received the status of an independent university in 1976), agricultural and pedagogical institutes. In 2002, 18.4% of state funds were allocated from the budget for the needs of the education system. In 2003, 81.6% of the population were literate (82.6% of men and 80.8% of women).
Swaziland is among the African countries with the highest incidence of AIDS - 38.8% (2003). In 2003, there were 220 thousand AIDS patients and HIV-infected people, 17 thousand people died. AIDS is officially declared a national disaster. In order to limit the spread of the disease, in 2001 King Mswati III issued a decree prohibiting underage girls from having sex.
Lack of clean drinking water(about 40% of the population have constant access to it) leads to outbreaks of intestinal infections. In 2000, health spending was 4.2% of GDP.
In the UN report on the human development of the planet in 2001, Swaziland stood at 133rd place.
60% of the population are Christians (mostly Protestants), about 40% adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, the cult of ancestors, the forces of nature, etc.), there is a small Muslim community. There are also a small number of Baha'i followers. The spread of Christianity began in the early 19th century.
Policy
The constitution is from 2005. The head of state is the king, who has supreme legislative and executive power. The heir to the throne in Swaziland is a prince chosen by members of the royal family. In the event of the death of the king or the minority of the heir to the throne, the queen mother governs the country.
Legislative power is partially exercised by a bicameral parliament, which consists of the House of Assembly (65 deputies) and the Senate (30 deputies). Parliament performs the functions of an advisory body under the king, since it does not accept, but only discusses bills submitted by the government. In addition, the king has the right to veto the decisions of Parliament. The 10 members of the House of Assembly are appointed by the king, while 55 are elected by the people through a complex two-stage scheme. Candidates for voting are put forward by traditional local councils, which consist of chiefs. The 20 members of the Senate are appointed by the King and 10 are elected by the House of Assembly. The term of office of both houses of parliament is 5 years.
In practice, state decisions are made by the king after their discussion in Libandl (National Council, whose members are representatives of the court nobility, the king and the queen mother) and Likoko (a narrow circle of the most trusted members of the royal family).
Executive power is exercised by the government and the prime minister, who is appointed by the king from among the deputies of the House of Assembly.
The national flag is a rectangular panel consisting of three horizontal stripes: two blue (top and bottom) and one red between them. The red stripe is bordered on both sides by narrow stripes of yellow. In the center of the red stripe there is an image of a large black-and-white shield, which covers two parallel spears and a rod decorated with tassels.
At the core foreign policy- policy of non-alignment. The main foreign policy partners are the Republic of South Africa and Mozambique. Relations with Mozambique are complicated by the influx of Mozambican refugees.
The question of establishing bilateral diplomatic relations between the USSR and Swaziland was first discussed in con. 1970s during an unofficial visit to the country by an embassy employee Soviet Union in Mozambique. King Sobhuza II, under pressure from the then government of South Africa, refused the proposed contacts. diplomatic relations between Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Swaziland established on November 19, 1999.
Kingdom Swaziland- the smallest state on the continent, located in southeast Africa. In the east it borders with Mozambique, in the southeast, south, west and north - with the Republic of South Africa. Administrative division. The state is divided into 4 districts
The name comes from the ethnonym of the people - Swazi.
Capital
Mbabane (administrative), Lobam-ba (royal residence).
Square
Population
1100 thousand people
Form of government
A constitutional monarchy.
head of state
supreme legislative body
The bicameral Parliament (Libondla) consists of the Senate and the House of Assembly.
Supreme executive body
government accountable to the king.
Big cities
Official language
Swazi, English.
Religion
60% - Catholics, 30% - pagans.
Ethnic composition
90% Swazi, 2.3% Zulu, 2.1% European.
Currency
Lilangeni (plural - emalangeni) 100 cents.
Climate
The climate is transitional from subtropical to tropical summer time wet years. Average monthly temperatures range from + 12°C to + 20°C in summer. Precipitation is 500-700 mm per year in the east and 1200-1400 mm in the west.
Flora
In the west, the vegetation is a typical savanna with acacia and baobabs, in the east thickets of xerophytic shrubs predominate. West High Veldo is a country of mountain meadows. The plant world has 2.4 thousand species - from lichens to ficuses and magnolias.
Fauna
Representatives of the animal world are typical of the African savanna - blue buffaloes, markhorned antelopes, zebras, hippos, are found in rivers a large number of crocodiles.
Rivers and lakes
The largest rivers of the country are the Komati, the Great Usutu and the Umbeluzi.
Attractions
In Lobamba - National Museum Swaziland, Parliament Building, Queen Mother Village. The Malotolsa National Park and waterfall are well known.
Useful information for tourists
Swaziland is a unique country where modern, vibrant life is organically intertwined with ancient traditions and rituals that form the basis of the life of its people - the Swazi. The best way acquaintance with Swaziland-trekking, as well as walking and horse riding excursions. Some national parks offer superb trails, often just gentrified trails that locals have used for centuries. Horse excursions are considered the most suitable for local conditions and have already managed to create the country's fame as one of the world's centers of equestrian tourism. In many cases, it is also the only way to explore parts of the country that are inaccessible to other means of transport and to get acquainted with the wildlife of the region.
One of the most colorful events takes place annually in late August - early September and is timed to coincide with the moment the king chooses the next bride. It is called the "Dance of the Reed". Virgin girls from all over the kingdom gather near the palace of the Queen Mother with a bundle of cane, symbolizing their purity and devotion to the throne. The girls' attire consists only of loincloths woven with beads. Royal princesses adorn their hair with a wreath of red feathers and lead the dance.
The meaning of the ceremony is to show the king his beauty and ability to dance, so that he chooses one of the many virgins and makes him his wife. And although the choice of the king is a foregone conclusion, thousands of almost naked beauties do their best to demonstrate their charms, performing intricate steps.
Despite its rather modest size, Swaziland has a surprisingly wide range of natural complexes and ecological zones, from tropical forests in the northwest to savannahs in the east, with numerous “interspersed” fynbos (also called “beautiful shrubs”). On the border with Mozambique, the country has a completely different landscape - spiky and dry mountains, as if growing out of the High Weld plateau.
The official capital of Swaziland - Mbabane - is located in the northern part of the Ezulwini Valley, in the middle of the picturesque Dlangeni hills. There are not many interesting sights here, and the main tourist places in the city can be called quite modern streets in the center - Allister Miller, New Alley and Alley. To the west of the city center is Swazi Square - a modern large shopping complex, famous for its many shops located on its territory and reasonable prices. The local market, which can be found on Allister Miller Street, is also worthy of attention - many interesting folk art items are sold here at very low prices. In addition, there are several excellent restaurants in the center of Mbabane that serve Indian, Italian and Portuguese cuisines.
The royal residence - Embo Royal Palace - is located in the city of Lobamba. Here you can follow the life of the royal family: from bright national ceremonies and parade trips to a kind of Inkwala dance ceremony, in which the king himself participates. Nearby is the National Museum, where you can see interesting expositions of the cultures of various peoples of the country and visit the Cultural Village, a traditional settlement for the region with all the household items of the inhabitants. Given the size of the royal family (King Sobhuz II had six hundred children), Swaziland's monarchs now live in the Lotiza residence, located ten kilometers from Lobamba.
Not far from the capital, you can see a small but very beautiful Mantenga waterfall.
Thirty kilometers from Mbabane is the largest city of Swaziland - Manzini. This place may seem untidy and too provincial, but nevertheless there is a very interesting place here - a colorful local market that reflects the cultural traditions of the region.
The city of Siteki is very popular, standing apart from other settlements of the country and famous for its landscapes - cool spurs of plains and mountains overgrown with dense forest. Previously, the city was the "capital" of the border guards and mountaineers, it got its name thanks to the ruler Mbandzeni, who allowed the border guards to marry only here (the name of the city can be translated as "marrying on the spot"). Since then, the city has gradually evolved from a small village into a major cultural and shopping mall. Siteki is home to Sangoma and Iñaga schools, public educational establishments where masters of traditional medicine and healers are trained. An interesting combination of natural science, botany and spiritualism is taught here.
Not far from the city there is an unusual Muti-Muti reserve, which is actively used by practicing healers and doctors of the Sangoma and Inyaga schools to collect various herbs needed in their work (the word "muti" can be translated simultaneously as "medicine" and "magic").
Mlilvane is the most accessible nature reserve for visiting. It is located near the capital of the country, on the border of the Middle and High Weld, around the jagged picturesque peak of Nyonyan. It is home to a large population of hippos, as well as many varieties of crocodiles, giraffes and zebras.
