<text><span class="style42"></span><span class="style12">SWAZILAND</span><span class="style14"></span><span class="style42">Official name:</span><span class="style13"> Umbuso Weswatini (The Kingdom of Swaziland)</span><span class="style42">Member of: </span><span class="style13">UN, Commonwealth, OAU</span><span class="style42">Area: </span><span class="style13">17363 km2 (6704 sq mi)</span><span class="style42">Population: </span><span class="style13">814000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Capitals: </span><span class="style13">Mbabane ΓÇô administrative capital ΓÇô 39000, Lobamba ΓÇô legislative capital ΓÇô 6000 (1986 census)</span><span class="style42">Other major city: </span><span class="style13">Manzini 52000 (1986 census)</span><span class="style42">Languages: </span><span class="style13">siSwati and English (both official)</span><span class="style42">Religions: </span><span class="style13">various Protestant Churches (37%), independent African Churches (28%), animist (21%), Roman Catholic (11%)</span><span class="style42">GOVERNMENT</span><span class="style13">Swaziland is a monarchy in which the King appoints a Prime Minister and Cabinet. The King is advised by the 30-member Senate and the 65-member House of Assembly, and appoints 10 members to the House and 20 to the Senate. The 45 other members of the House are elected by universal adult suffrage; the 10 other members of the Senate are appointed by the House. There are no political parties.</span><span class="style42">GEOGRAPHY</span><span class="style13">From the mountains of the west ΓÇô which rise to 1869 m (6100 ft) ΓÇô Swaziland descends in steps of savannah (veld) towards hill country in the east. </span><span class="style42">Climate: </span><span class="style13">The veld is subtropical, while the highlands are temperate.</span><span class="style42">ECONOMY</span><span class="style13">The majority of Swazis are subsistence farmers. Cash crops include sugar cane (the main export). </span><span class="style42">Currency: </span><span class="style13">Lilangeni (plural emalangeni).</span><span class="style42">HISTORY</span><span class="style13">The Swazi kingdom was formed early in the 19th century, and came under British rule in 1904. The country resisted annexation by the Boers in the 1890s and by South Africa during the colonial period. Following independence (1968), King Sobhuza II suspended the constitution in 1973 and restored much of the traditional royal authority. A bitter power struggle after his death (1982) lasted until King Mswati III was invested in 1986.</span></text>