Eswatini

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region –African continent
• Currency symbol of Eswatini –Swazi lilangeni(SZL)
• Capital City –Mbabane is the capital of Eswatini
• Official languages –SiSwati and English
• Population –1,163,414 (2020)
• Country dialling code  –  (+268 )
• Official website – Eswatini
• Top 3 biggest industries  –Agriculture, Sugar Industry, Mining
• Google Maps link –Eswatini
• Where is it? –Eswatini, officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly known as Swaziland, is a country in Southern Africa, landlocked between South Africa in the west and Mozambique in the east.

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Eswatini In Pictures

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Eswatini History

• How did the country get its first name? –Eswatini was long known as Swaziland. The name Swazi is the Anglicized name of an early king and nation builder, Mswati II, who ruled from 1840 to 1868. 
• How did the country get its current name? -Eswatini is the name that was commonly used within the country. Eswatini means “place of the Swazi” in the Swazi language.
• When and by whom the country was first discovered? -The area that is now Eswatini has been inhabited for millennia, and human-like remains possibly dating back as far as 100,000 years have been discovered around the Lebombo Mountains in eastern Eswatini. 
• Who were the first Inhabitants? –The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by the Bantu tribes during Bantu migrations who hailed from the Great Lakes regions of Eastern Africa. The autonomy of the Swaziland Nation was dictated by British rule of southern Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• When it was first recognized as a country?-After the Second Boer War, the kingdom, under the name of Swaziland, was a British protectorate from 1903 until it regained its independence on 6 September 1968.
• Who was the first leader of the country? –Ngwane III was the first King of modern Swaziland (1745–1780).

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Five Significant Events 

1. Swaziland a Britain High Commission territory: Swaziland becomes a British High Commission territory. (https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/places/africa/swaziland/eswatini/history#:~:text=In%201906%20it%20became%20a%20High%20Commission%20Territory,but%20retained%20membership%20in%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Nations)
2. 1962 NNLC Formation: The Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) is formed. (https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/889444)
3. 1968 Independence: Swaziland is granted formal independence, within the Commonwealth, and adopts a new constitution. Authority is vested in the new parliament, a proportion of the members are nominated by the monarch. (https://southafricadreamvacation.weebly.com/swaziland.html)
4. 1982 Swaziland members of the royal family: The body advising on Swazi tradition – the Swaziland National Council – made up of members of the royal family, is renamed the Supreme Council of State (Liqoqo). (http://www.hudsonfla.com/aswaziland.htm)
5. 1973 Suspending the constitution: The country’s constitution was largely the work of the British. In 1973 King Sobhuzall suspended it on the grounds that it did not accord with Swazi culture. (https://www.goodshepherdeyeclinic.org/background-of-eswatini.html)

Five Places to Visit in Eswatini

1. Hlane Royal National Park: The Hlane (“Wilderness”) Game Sanctuary is home to the largest herds of game in the country and is one of the few places in Swaziland where visitors have a chance of seeing lion, elephant, and rhino. (https://www.thekingdomofeswatini.com/north-east-eswatini/hlane-royal-national-park/)
2. Mbuluzi Game Reserve: Privately-owned Mbuluzi Game Reserve offers a peaceful retreat on the banks of the croc-filled Mlawula River. The top activity here is self-guided wildlife safaris to see animals such as giraffe, zebra, kudu, jackal, wildebeest, and nyala during the day and possibly hyena, genets, servals, and honey badgers during the night. (https://www.mbuluzi.com/)
3. Lobamba: In the beautiful Ezulwini valley (the Valley of Heaven), Lobamba is Swaziland’s spiritual and cultural heart. This laid-back town is home to Swaziland’s monarchy, as well as its most important buildings. (https://www.thekingdomofeswatini.com/central-eswatini/lobamba/)
4. Swazi Market Mbabane: Mbabane, Swaziland’s cool-climate capital, is home to the Swazi Market, a must-see attraction for souvenir-starved tourists. It lies at the south end of Allister Miller Street, the town’s main shopping street. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293837-d1745929-Reviews-Traditional_Swazi_Craft_Markets-Mbabane_Hhohho_District.html)
5. Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary: In the lovely Ezulwini Valley, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is one of Swaziland’s first conservation areas and its most popular game reserve. It was established by Ted and Elizabeth Reilly, who turned their farm at Mlilwane into a game reserve with the support of King Sobhuza II. (https://biggameparks.org/properties/mlilwane-wildlife-sanctuary-2)

References: 

• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-currency-of-swaziland.html
• https://catztours.com/tour/eswatini/#:~:text=Eswatini%20%28Swaziland%29%20Despite%20being%20the%20smallest%20landlocked%20country,a%20hugely%20diverse%20range%20of%20attractions%20and%20activities.
• https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/swaziland-population/
• https://www.countrycallingcodes.com/country.php?country=eSwatini
• https://mapcarta.com/Eswatini
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Eswatini
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/swaziland-king-renames-country-kingdom-of-eswatini