Eswatini

Eswatini is a landlocked country in South Africa. Northeast borders Mozambique and borders North, West, South and Southeast Africa. At 200 kilometers (120 miles) from north to south and 130 kilometers (81 miles) from west to east, Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa. Nevertheless, its climate and terrain change from cold and mountainous highlands to hot and dry highlands.

The population is predominantly Swazi. The popular language is Swazi (originally siSwati). The kingdom was established by the Swazi in the mid-18th century under the guidance of King Guang III. The country and the Swazi are named after King Mswati II in the 19th century, when the Swazi territory was expanded and consolidated. The present boundary was drawn in 1881 in the center of the African continent. After the Second Boer War, the Kingdom of Swaziland was a British Protected Territory from 1903 until its independence on 6 September 1968. In April 2018, the official name was changed from Swaziland to the Kingdom of Eswatini. Commonly used name in Swazi.

The government is a complete monarchy, the last monarchy in Africa and has been ruled by Mswati III since 1986. Elections are held every five years to determine a majority in Congress and the Senate. The current constitution was adopted in 2005. The main dances are Umalanga in August / September and Inkwara in December / January.

Eswatini is a developing country and is classified as a low- and middle-income country. As a member of the Common Market for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the East and South Africa (COMESA), its main local trading partner is South Africa. To ensure economic stability, Iswatini's currency, the Swazi Lilangeni, is fixed in the South African rand. Eswatini's major foreign trading partners are the United States and the European Union. Most of the employment in the country is provided through agriculture and manufacturing. Eswatini is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations.

Swazi people face major health problems. HIV / AIDS and (to some extent) tuberculosis are widespread. It is estimated that 26% of the adult population is HIV positive. As of 2018, Eswatini has the 12th lowest life expectancy in the world at 58. Eswatini's population is young, with an average age of 22 as of 2018, with people under 14 making up 35% of the country's total population.