FAX: 404-5959

FAX: (202) 244-8059

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Gregory L. JOHNSON

embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane

mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone: 404-6441 through 404-6445

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Swaziland Economy

Economy - overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives four-fifths of its imports and to which it sends two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines 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. Prospects for 2001 are strengthened by government millennium projects for a new convention center, additional hotels, an amusement park, a new airport, and stepped-up roadbuilding and factory construction plans.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10%

industry: 46%

services: 44% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: private sector 70%, public sector 30%

Unemployment rate: 22% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $400 million

expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)

Industries: mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production: 375 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.33%

hydro: 46.67%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 198 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 852 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 701 million kWh

note: supplied by South Africa (1999)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Exports: $881 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners: South Africa 65%, EU 12%, Mozambique 11%, US 5% (1998)

Imports: $928 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 84%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (1998)

Debt - external: $281 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $55 million (1995)

Currency: lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code: SZL

Exchange rates: emalangeni per US dollar - 7.7803 (January 2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Swaziland Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 33,500 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (2000)

Telephone system: general assessment: not a modern system

domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6 (2000)

Radios: 155,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 10 (2000)

Televisions: 21,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 4,000 (2000)

Swaziland Transportation

Railways: total: 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use

narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 3,000 km

paved: 850 km

unpaved: 2,150 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 18 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.)

Swaziland Military

Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal
Swaziland Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 248,084 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 143,618 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $19.198 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.75% (FY00/01)

Swaziland Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

@Sweden

Sweden Introduction

Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements has recently been undermined by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe caused Sweden not to join the EU until 1995, and to forgo the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Sweden Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of
Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 449,964 sq km

land: 410,934 sq km

water: 39,030 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,205 km

border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 1%

forests and woodland: 68%

other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking
Baltic and North Seas

Sweden People

Population: 8,875,053 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.19% (male 828,308; female 786,353)

15-64 years: 64.53% (male 2,911,949; female 2,814,730)

65 years and over: 17.28% (male 649,296; female 884,417) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.02% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 9.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 10.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.71 years

male: 77.07 years

female: 82.5 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.08% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions: Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
Jewish, Buddhist

Languages: Swedish

note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99% (1979 est.)

male: NA%

female: NA%

Sweden Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural);
Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands,
Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands,
Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday: Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19
September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice
Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002)

election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party - Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Lennart DALEUS]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Communist Workers' Party [Rolf HAGEL]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Gudrun SCHYMAN]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN]; New Democracy Party [Vivianne FRANZEN]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO,
G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP,
UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jan ELIASSON

chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702

telephone: (202) 467-2600