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Geography and Environment of Eswatini
Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of Eswatini.
Overview
Swaziland is a landlocked independent kingdom in southern Africa. Swaziland consists of 6,700 square miles bordered on three sides by the Republic of South Africa (the Provinces of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal). Its 70-mile-eastern border with Mozambique is about 40 miles inland from the Indian Ocean. The greatest distance from north to south is 120 miles and from east to west is roughly 90 miles. The highveld has an average elevation is 4,000 feet. The middleveld and the Lubombo Plateau are defined as the central and extreme eastern sections. 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.
Detailed geography
Physical Features
- Terrain
- mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
- 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.
- Weather Patterns
- http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/WZXX0001?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
- Highest Point
- 1862 — Emlembe 1,862 m
- Lowest Point
- 21 — Great Usutu River 21 m
Borders and Area
- Area (Comparative)
- slightly smaller than New Jersey
- Border Countries
- Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Natural Resources and Hazards
- Natural Resources
- asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
- Natural Hazards
- drought
Environment and Land Use
- Current Environmental Issues
- limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
- International Agreements
- Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea