{"id":3396,"date":"2018-10-15T19:20:15","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T19:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.svenlucaworld.com\/?p=3396"},"modified":"2020-02-26T15:27:48","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T15:27:48","slug":"reisebericht-swasiland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.svenlucaworld.com\/en\/travel-report-swaziland\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel report SWAZILAND - A rapidly growing kingdom in southern Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Visa and entry requirements Swaziland:<\/strong>
\nPassport required
\nNo visa is required<\/p>\n

Information from the Foreign Office about your trip to Swaziland:<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/www.auswaertiges-amt.de\/de\/swasilandsicherheit\/226240<\/a><\/p>\n

The Kingdom of Swaziland, or more recently known as the Kingdom of Eswatini since 2018, is a landlocked country in southern Africa with around 1.6 million inhabitants. The country borders Mozambique in the east and South Africa in the other directions.<\/p>\n

The kingdom's two official languages are English and Siswati. The Swaziland lilangeni is used as the national currency, with 1 euro corresponding to around 17 SZL. The currency is exactly convertible to the South African rand, which is also accepted as a means of payment in the country.<\/p>\n

Swaziland is the second smallest country on the African continent with a consistently subtropical climate. The highest point in the national territory is the 1,862 meter high Mount Emlembe. The country's area is divided into the highlands in the west, the central plateau and the lowlands in the east.<\/p>\n

The country's largest cities include Manzini, Mbabane, Big Bend, Nhlangano, Malkerns, Mhlume, Hluti, Simunye and Siteki.<\/p>\n

Swaziland is one of the poorest countries in the world and almost three quarters of all residents live in poverty.<\/p>\n

Swaziland's economy is very dependent on its neighbor South Africa. Now that the important iron ore deposits have been exhausted, only hard coal, diamonds and kaolin are mined as mineral resources today. The main agricultural crops grown are sugar cane, corn, tobacco, cotton, citrus fruits, millet, rice and peanuts. The country's most important export goods are the products of the Coca-Cola Company, which opened its Africa headquarters in the country in 1985 and supplies almost the entire African continent with soft drinks.<\/p>\n

Swaziland has the highest rate of HIV\/AIDS infections in the world. Approximately 41% of the total population and almost 66% of all adults there are infected with the disease, making the Kingdom of Swaziland the country with the lowest life expectancy of just 51 years of all countries in the world.<\/p>\n

The capital of Swaziland is Mbabane with around 100,000 inhabitants. The city is the political center of the country and, alongside the largest city of Manzini, also the economic center of Swaziland. The capital is located at an altitude of around 1,250 meters in the west of the national territory.<\/p>\n

Mbabane's main attractions include the All Saints Cathedral, the Lobamba Trail, the Mdzimba Trail, the Central Market, the Sibebe Rock, the traditional Swazi Craft Market and the University of Swaziland.<\/p>\n

In August 2018 I visited Swaziland for the first time. During my third major trip to Africa, the country was my fifth stop.<\/p>\n

Of course, as always, I researched the country beforehand. But what is written everywhere in the various media and what I actually found is simply unbelievable. Swaziland has a brand new, ultra-modern airport, a state-supported bus transfer that runs three times a day for just the equivalent of 5 euros from the airport to the capital, which is almost 100 kilometers away, and a new, equally long highway from the airport to Mbabane and a modern infrastructure that you almost don't think you're in Africa. I don't know what has happened to the country in the last few years, but I felt like I was in the wrong movie. I just couldn't believe how beautiful it was there. Golf courses, modern office buildings, state buildings and several large hotels with gigantic parks are now being built there.<\/p>\n

Two thirds of all adults there are said to be infected with HIV, with the lowest life expectancy in the world, 75% are said to live there on the poverty line? Those are the facts anyway, but the reality is obviously very different. Sorry, I just can't believe that, I didn't see any poverty there, just wealth.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I had a fantastic time and was completely impressed. I took the bus from the airport to the capital Mbabane, around 100 kilometers away, for just US$5 and spent a great day there. At times I felt like I was in modern Europe. In the evening I took the same airport shuttle back and continued my journey to Mozambique.<\/p>\n

To be honest, Swaziland left me a little speechless because of the surprise. It's a shame that I didn't plan longer for it.<\/p>\n

For me, Swaziland is one of the most beautiful places in Africa.<\/p>\n\n