Its king rules by decree over his million subjects who live mainly in rural areas and maintain traditional ways of life.

The power of the throne, however, has not gone unchallenged.

OVERVIEW

King Mswati III, on the throne since 1986, is upholding the tradition of his father, King Sobhuza II, who reigned for almost 61 years and is believed to have had more than 60 wives.

Sobhuza scrapped the constitution in 1973 and banned political parties.

King Mswati has shown no enthusiasm for sharing power, but banned opposition parties and trade unions have been vocal in their demands for greater democracy and limits on the king's power.

With peaceful change in neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique, Swaziland has been described as an island of dictatorship in a sea of democracy. A long-awaited constitution, signed by the king in 2005, cemented his rule and maintained a ban on political parties.

Royalists have argued that democracy creates division, and that a monarch is a strong unifying force.

Swaziland is virtually homogenous, most of the population being of the same tribe. Economically, the country is heavily dependent on South Africa, which receives almost half of Swazi exports and supplies nine-tenths of its imports.

Aids is taking a heavy toll with more than 40% of the population believed infected with HIV. Life expectancy has plummeted as a result. Many Swazis live in chronic poverty and food shortages are widespread.

FACTS

• Population: 1.1 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Mbabane
• Area: 17,364 sq km (6,704 sq miles)
• Major languages: Swazi, English (both official)
• Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs
• Life expectancy: 32 years (men), 33 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Lilangeni = 100 cents
• Main exports: Sugar, wood pulp, minerals
• GNI per capita: US $1,350 (World Bank, 2005)
• Internet domain: .sz
• International dialling code: +268

LEADERS

King: Mswati III

King Mswati III

Born in 1968, King Mswati III was crowned in 1986 at the age of 18, replacing his long-serving father King Sobhuza II, who died at the age of 82.

The king, who is known as Ngweyama - "the lion" - often appears in public in traditional dress and has many wives.

He rules by decree and has been criticised for the heavy-handed treatment of opponents. The king has also been criticised for requesting public money to pay for new palaces, a personal jet and luxury cars. Street protests led him to abandon the aircraft purchase.