Country Information - Swaziland

ECONOMIC BACKGROUND In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2002 are strengthened by the country's status as a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative. (Source: World Factbook, 2002) Click here for Country Map [23kB]

BI-LATERAL TRADE OVERVIEW Swaziland is one of the relatively few Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries able to show an increasing trade surplus over the United States in recent years. In 2001, this trade surplus in favour of Swaziland had reached $ 53 million. Swaziland's exports to the U.S. consist predominately of 'textiles and apparel', an export sector that has grown significantly in recent years. In 2001, over 70% of Swaziland's exports to the U.S. were from this category, with the majority consisting of AGOA-eligible apparel. Swaziland qualified for AGOA's 'Wearing Apparel' provisions on July 26, 2001, and is also classified as a 'Lesser Developed Country' for AGOA purposes. This means that it is allowed to utilise third country textile inputs (at least until September 30, 2002) in the production of apparel for duty-free export under AGOA. Preliminary 2002 data indicates that approximately 85% of exports under the 'textile and apparel' category are AGOA-eligible, while year-on-year growth of said products has doubled between 1999 and 2001 and continues to grow strongly beyond (see link to Country Trade Profile below). Swaziland's other export categories to the U.S. consist of 'miscellaneous manufactures' and 'agricultural products'. Detailed bilateral trade data for this country, disaggregated by industry sector, can be accessed by following the link below. Aggregate data featuring all AGOA-eligible countries is updated on this website as soon as new data is published, including ranked AGOA / non-AGOA trade, aggregate trade by industry sector as well as the latest apparel trade data. Click here for Detailed Trade Profile