Swaziland

Swaziland (from CIA the world Fact Book)

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection

Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E

Area: total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Land boundaries: total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Land use: arable land: 10.35%
permanent crops: 0.7%
other: 88.95% (2001)

Geography - note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa