Swaziland
Economic Overview
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
GDP Growth rate: 1.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Trade per capita (US$, 2003-2005):3 684
Trade to GDP ratio (2003-2005): 172.8
Exports: $2.201 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) | Imports: $2.274 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
Exports - commodities: Soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit | Imports - commodities: Motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
Exports - partners: South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2006) | Imports - partners: South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2006) |
Share in world total merchandise exports: 0.02
Share in world total merchandise imports: 0.02
Share in world total commercial services exports: 0.01
Share in world total commercial services imports: 0.02
Indicators
HEALTH | EDUCATIONAL | ECONOMIC | POLITICAL
GENERAL INDICATORS | ||
| HDI Rank | 146 | |
| GDP (US $ Bill.) | 2004 | 2.4 |
| GDP (PPP US $ Bill.) | 2004 | 6.3 |
| GDP Per Capita (PPP US $) | 2004 | 5638 |
| GDI Rank | 114 | |
| GDI Value | 0.479 | |
| GEM Rank | .. | |
| GEM Value | .. | |
| Total Population (Mill.) | 1975 | 0.5 |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| Total Female Population (in '000) | 2006 | 532 |
| Population living below $ 1 a day in Percentage | 1990-2004 | .. |
| Population living below the national poverty line in Percentage | 1990-2003 | .. |
| Total Fertility Rate (Births per Woman) | 1970-75 | 6.9 |
| 2000-05 | 4 | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (Adjusted per 100000 live births) | 2000 | 370 |
| Probability of Female Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 12 |
| Probability of Male Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 9.3 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | 2004 | 31.3 |
| Female Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 31.3 | |
| Male Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 31.3 | |
| Population without sustainable access to safe water in Percentage | 2004 | 38 |
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| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* in Percentage | 2004c | 58 |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (F) in Percentage | 57 | |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (M) in Percentage | 59 | |
| Female Legislators, Officials & Managers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Female Professionals & Technical Workers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Adult Literacy Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 2004 | 79.6 |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate ( % ages 15 and older) | 78.3 | |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | 97 | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (% ages 15-24) | 89.8 | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | 103 | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 77 | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.01 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolement Female Ratio (in %) | 32 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.24 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 5 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio Female to Male | 1.08 | |
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| Estimated Female Earned Income( PPP US$) | 2576 | |
| Estimated Male Earned Income (PPP US $) | 8936 | |
| Ratio of Female to Male Estimated Earned Income | 0.29 | |
| Female Economic Activity Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 31.5 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( index, 1990=100, ages 15 and older) | 83 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( as % of male rates, ages 15 and older) | 43 | |
| Female Employment Agriculture (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment Agriculture (%) | .. | |
| Female Employment Industry (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment Industry (%) | .. | |
| Female Employment Services (%) | .. | |
| Male Employment in Services (%) | .. | |
| Women Contributing Family Workers (%) | .. | |
| Men Contributing Family Workers (%) | .. | |
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| Seats in Parliament (Women as % of Total) | 16.8 | |
| Female Suffrage Granted (Year) | 1968 | |
| Elections Contesting Rights (Year) | 1968 | |
| Year of First Woman Elected (A=Appointed, E=Elected) | 1972 E+A | |
| Women Ministers (as % of total) | 13.3 | |
| Seats held in Lower/Single House by Women (as % of Total) | 10.8 | |
| Seats held in Upper House/Senate by Women (as % of Total) | 30 | |
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Source : UNDP HDR 2006
Notes:
.. Data Not Available
a.Data refer to medium-variant projections.
* For Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Schools
