Swaziland is a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa which is surrounded by the Republic of South Africa and Mozambique. The entire population is estimated at 950,000, the majority of which live in rural areas. It has an area of only 6,705 square miles (17,364 square km) and the terrain is varied, ranging from mountains and plateaus to lowlands.

Mbabane is the administrative capital, with a population of 60,000. Manzini is the hub,
situated next to Matsapha, the industrial center of the country. The population of Manzini is about 80,000.

The official language within the country is Siswati which is spoken in Swaziland and South Africa. It has 1.5 million speakers and is taught in schools. It is the official language of Swaziland, along with English, and one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.

Swaziland is a monarchy with the head of state being the King. Currently the reigning monarch is King Mswati III, who ascended to the throne in 1986 after the death of his father in 1982. By tradition, the King reigns along with his mother or if she is no longer alive, a ritual substitute. The King’s role is to be the administrative head of state while his Mother plays a symbolic role serving as a spiritual leader who promotes and represents national pride and culture. As the primary source of power and influence within parliament, the King appoints the prime minister who heads the government, as well as a number of the representatives for parliament.