MAF in Swaziland
MAF flies into Swaziland from its base in neighbouring South Africa
Demographics
Swaziland has the 37th lowest Human Development Index rating in the world
- Population: 1,128,814 (UK: 61 million)
- Birth rate: 26.6 births/1,000 population (UK: 11 births/1,000)
- Life expectancy at birth: 32 (UK: 79 years)
- Population under 15 years: 40% (UK: 17%)
- High infant mortality: more than 1 in 14 (UK: 1 in 200 die at birth)
- Population below the poverty line: 69%
- HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 39% (UK: 0.2%)
- Literacy rate: 82% (UK: 99%)
Infrastructure
- Area of the country: 6,704sq miles (UK: 94,525 sq miles)
- 2,233 miles of roads, but only 670 miles of paved roads (UK: 241,104 miles – all paved)
- 18 landing strips of which only 1 is paved
Economy
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. 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.
- Main exports include soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Environment
A country with mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Current environmental issues include:
- limited supplies of potable water
- wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting
- overgrazing; soil degradation
- soil erosion
Climate
A varied climate: from tropical to temperate
Religion
- Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
- Roman Catholic 20%
- Muslim 10%
- Other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%