Travel Alert Status
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Time Difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Travel Climate
Swaziland is divided into four well-defined regions running from west to east. The mountainous highveld, where Mbabane is located, has a humid, near-temperate climate with mean annual rainfall of 40-90 inches (100-230 centimeters), rarely suffering from drought. Daytime weather is more variable in the highveld than in other regions; a foggy morning may be followed by a sunny afternoon and vice versa. Temperatures in Mbabane range from an average of 51ºF to an average of 72ºF. In some parts of Mbabane, frost develops in winter and snow occasionally occurs.
The middleveld and the Lubombo Plateau (the central and extreme eastern sections) are subtropical and drier, with mean annual rainfall of 25-47 inches (65-120 centimeters). Temperatures average 78ºF to an average low of 57 degrees. The middleveld is the site of the industrial center of the country, Manzini, as well as the University of Swaziland campuses and has an average elevation of 2,500 feet. The average elevation of the Lubombo Plateau is 1,800 feet.
The lowveld is subtropical and drier with a mean annual rainfall of 20-30 inches (50-90 centimeters); the majority of this rainfall is from heavy storms. Temperatures in Big Bend, the largest town in the lowveld, range from an average low of 58ºF to a high of 84ºF. The altitude ranges from 500 to 1,000 feet.
Travel Currency
lilangeni (SZL)
Languages
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Ethnic Groups
African 97%, European 3%
National Holiday
Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)
Geographic Coordinates
26 30 S, 31 30 E
Location
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Airports
2