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SWAZILAND

1,337,186

country comparison to the world: 152
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 260,840/female 254,781)
15-64 years: 57.9% (male 383,236/female 391,478)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 19,857/female 26,994) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.8 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.307% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 101

Birth rate:

28.09 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

Death rate:

15.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 69.74 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 23
male: 73.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 47.85 years
country comparison to the world: 214
male: 47.85 years
female: 47.85 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.32 children born/woman (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

26.1% (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

190,000 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 33

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

10,000 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:

African 97%, European 3%

Religions:

Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

Languages:

English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2005)

Education expenditures:


Traditionally, Swazis have been subsistence farmers and herders; a number are now working in the growing formal economy and in government. Some work in mines in South Africa.

Christianity in Swaziland is sometimes mixed with traditional beliefs and practices. Most Swazis ascribe a special spiritual role to the monarch.

The country's official languages are SiSwati (an Nguni language related to Zulu) and English. Government and commercial business is conducted mainly in English.

POPULATION GRAPH