Political Overview
The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is Africa’s last absolute monarchy, where King Mswati III wields supreme executive, legislative, and judicial authority alongside his mother, the Queen Mother (iNdlovukati). Eswatini practices the Tinkhundla system, a non-party electoral framework that emphasizes devolution of power to 59 local constituencies, with all candidates contesting as independents and political parties banned. Executive authority rests with the king, who appoints the prime minister and cabinet from among members of the bicameral parliament, which comprises a 65-member House of Assembly (55 elected, 10 appointed by the monarch) and a 30-member Senate (20 appointed by the monarch, 10 by the House. While legislative elections occur every five years, the king must approve all legislation before it becomes law, and traditional chiefs exercise significant influence over local governance through parallel customary structures.
Cultural Heritage and Identity
Swazi cultural identity is rooted in the traditions of the Nguni-speaking Swazi people, who are organized into more than 70 clans and speak siSwati as their mother tongue. Traditional governance structures mirror national politics: the king (iNgwenyama) is the head of state and symbol of unity, while the Queen Mother (iNdlovukati) serves as spiritual leader, both playing central roles in major national ceremonies. Two of the country’s most emblematic cultural festivals are the annual Umhlanga (Reed Dance), in which unmarried young women present reeds to the Queen Mother and perform dances to promote chastity and solidarity, and the Incwala (Kingship Ceremony), a first-fruits ritual held after the full moon nearest December 21 that embodies the spiritual and political unity of the nation. Artisanal crafts such as beaded jewellery (ligcebesha), clay pottery (tindziwo), and grass-woven mats (emacansi) together with traditional music and dance forms like the umtsimba, further express the country’s vibrant heritage.
Geographical Landscape, Area, and Climate
Eswatini is a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa covering about 17,363 km² (6,704 sq mi), bordered by Mozambique (105 km) to the east and South Africa (430 km) to the north, west, and south. The terrain transitions from the Highveld mountainous and temperate, with elevations up to 1,862 m at Emlembe to the Middleveld’s fertile hills and down to the Lowveld’s hot, dry plains toward the Indian Ocean basin. Eswatini’s climate ranges from tropical in the Lowveld to near-temperate in the Highveld; most rainfall occurs in summer months (October–April), with annual precipitation from 500 mm in the Lowveld to over 1,000 mm in the Highveld, while winters (May–September) are generally dry and mild. This varied topography and climate support diverse ecosystems and agricultural zones, although the country remains prone to seasonal floods and droughts.
