19 Facts About Eswatini (fmr. "Swaziland")

Eswatini, officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. 

It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, south, and southeast. 

Eswatini is Africa's last absolute monarchy and one of the world's last. This form of government grants a monarch absolute power, unfettered by written laws, legislature, or customs.

Swaziland was renamed 'the Kingdom of Eswatini' by King Mswati III in 2018. During the 50th anniversary of Swazi independence from British rule, the monarch made the official announcement in a stadium.

Sibebe Rock in Eswatini is the world's second largest monolith (single piece of rock), trailing only Uluru in Australia.

In Eswatini, the famous big five game animals of lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo can be seen.

Eswatini is home to 132 mammal species, 500 bird species, 111 reptile and amphibian species, and over 3,500 indigenous plant species.

King Mswati III has 15 wives at the moment. His predecessor possessed 125. He can find a new wife at the annual reed dance, a cultural event that honours chastity and virginity.

Eswatini hosts an annual Umhlanga - or reed dance - festival. Tens of thousands of women from across the country attend the festival. It has faced criticism in recent years for its treatment of women and is now focusing more on cultural heritage preservation. 

According to Swazi law, game rangers in Eswatini have the authority to shoot and kill poachers caught in the act.

Eswatini is a landlocked country, which means it is surrounded by land and has no access to the sea. There are 45 such countries and five partially recognised states at the moment.

Eswatini is one of the few countries in the world that has both black and white rhinos.

King Sobhuza II, who reigned from 1899 to 1982 and was on the throne for 82 years and 253 days, is the world's longest reigning monarch.

Eswatini has the highest HIV/Aids prevalence rate in the world, with 26% of people aged 15-49 infected. The CDC collaborates closely with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to develop systems for a long-term response to the epidemic.

The Makhonjwa Mountains, which are located in South Africa and Eswatini, are made up of rocks that date back 3.6 billion years. They are thought to be one of the world's oldest mountain ranges.

The Ngwenya Mine in Eswatini is thought to be the oldest mine in the world. Its iron ore deposits are among the world's oldest geological formations.

The country of Eswatini has two capital cities. Mbabane is the administrative capital, while Lobamba is the national capital and the seat of King Mswati III, as well as the location of the houses of parliament and other national institutions.

Eswatini has a low life expectancy rate, with men living an average of 55.1 years, women living an average of 59.3 years, and the overall population living an average of 57.2 years. It comes in at number 215 out of 223 countries and territories.

The Eswatini flag is blue, yellow, and crimson with a Swazi shield, two spears, and a 'fighting stick' with feather tassels in the centre. The crimson represents past battles, the yellow represents mineral wealth, and the blue represents peace. The traditional Swazi Emasotsha Regiment provided the ox hide combat shield.