Geography of Eswatini explained

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), is a country in Southern Africa lying between Mozambique and South Africa. The country is located at the geographic coordinates -26.5°N 61°W. Eswatini has an area of 17,363 square kilometres, of which 160 are water. The major regions of the country are Lowveld, Midveld and Highveld.

Climate

The climate varies from tropical to near temperate. The seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere with December being mid-summer and June mid-winter. Generally speaking, rain falls mostly during the summer months, often in the form of thunderstorms. Winter is the dry season. Annual rainfall is highest on the Highveld in the west, between 1000and depending on the year. The further east, the less rain, with the Lowveld recording 500to per annum. Variations in temperature are also related to the altitude of the different regions. The Highveld temperature is temperate and seldom uncomfortably hot while the Lowveld may record temperatures around 40°C in summer.

Physical geography

The terrain largely consists of mountains and hills, with some moderately sloping plains. The lowest point is the Great Usutu River at, and the highest is Emlembe at .

As a landlocked country, Eswatini has neither coastline nor maritime claims. In terms of land boundaries, Eswatini borders Mozambique for and South Africa for, giving a total land boundary length of .

Natural resources

Eswatini's natural resources are asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone and talc.

of the country's land is irrigated. The following table describes land use in Eswatini:

Land use
Use Percentage by area
Arable land9.77
Permanent crops0.7
Other89.53

Environment

Eswatini is prone to floods and drought. Soil erosion as a result of overgrazing is a growing problem.

Eswatini is part of the following international agreements: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban and Ozone Layer Protection. The country has signed, but not ratified the agreement on desertification and the law of the sea.

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Eswatini, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

External links