Transport in Swaziland

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Public transport is the main means of transportation in Swaziland. Car ownership is low, at 32 cars per 1,000 people. [1] The National Road Network has 1500 km of main roads and 2270 km of district roads. [2]

Contents

Roadways

total: 3,594 km
paved: 1,078 km
unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)

Amongst its roadway network, the main roads are:

Mbabane Place in Hhohho, Eswatini

Mbabane is the capital and largest city in Eswatini. With an estimated population of 94,874 (2010), it is located on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdzimba Mountains. It is located in the Hhohho Region, of which it is also the capital. The average elevation of the city is 1243 meters. It lies on the MR3 road.

Piggs Peak Place in Hhohho, Eswatini

Piggs Peak is a town in north western Eswatini. It was founded around gold prospecting in 1884, but its main industry is now forestry. The Phophonyane Falls lie near the town. Piggs Peak Casino takes its name from the area. In 2001 the 115m high wall of the Maguga Dam was completed in the Komati River 12 km south of town at 25°56′51.41″S30°4′52.74″E.

South Africa Republic in the southernmost part of Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho. South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and, with over 57 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages, nine of which have official status. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European (White), Asian (Indian), and multiracial (Coloured) ancestry.

The MR3 road also includes a section, going from the Ngwenya border crossing, through Mbabane and until Manzini, with 4 lanes and has been upgraded as a motorway. This motorway section has a length of 56 km.

Railways


total: 301 km (2008), 297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use (1997 est.)
narrow gauge: 301 km (2008), 297 km 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge (1997 est.)

Ports

none - Landlocked

Airports

The country's main airport is Sikhuphe International Airport, which has a 3,600m runway. The other paved airport is Matsapha Airport [3]

Matsapha Airport airport

Matsapha Airport is an airport located near Manzini, a city in Manzini District of Eswatini. It serves flights of the Eswatini Government and mercy flights.

Other airports - with unpaved runways


total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2012)

See also

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Geography of Eswatini

Eswatini is a country in Southern Africa, lying between Mozambique and South Africa. The country is located at the geographic coordinates 26°30′S31°30′E. 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.

Hhohho Region Place in Eswatini

Hhohho is a region of Eswatini, located in the north western part of Eswatini from the north and running southwards to the centre, Hhohho was named after the capital of King Mswati II, who expanded the Swazi territory to the north and west, taking in the districts of Barberton, Nelspruit, Carolina and Piet Retief. These areas were later acquired by what was the Province of Transvaal and today they form part of the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. It has an area of 3,625.17 km², a population of 320,651 (2017), and is divided into 14 tinkhundla. The administrative center is the national capital of Mbabane. It borders Lubombo Region on the southeast and Manzini Region in the southwest.

Manzini, Eswatini City in Manzini Region, Eswatini

Manzini is a city in Eswatini, which is also the capital of Eswatini's Manzini Region. The city is the country's second largest urban centre behind Mbabane, with a population of 78,000 (2008). It is known as "The Hub" of Eswatini and lies on the MR3 road. Eswatini's primary industrial site at Matsapha lies near the town's western border.

Ngwenya

Ngwenya is a town in western Eswatini, lying near the border with South Africa, north west of Mbabane, on the MR3 road. The South African town opposite Ngwenya is Oshoek in Mpumalanga province.

Eswatini Railways (ESR), formerly known as Swaziland Railway or Swazi Rail, is the national railway corporation of Eswatini.

Outline of Eswatini

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Eswatini:

Education in Eswatini begins with pre-school education for infants, primary, secondary and high school education for general education and training (GET) - and universities and colleges at tertiary level.

MR3 road road in Swaziland

The MR3 road, also known as the Matsapha–Mbabane–Ngwenya road or Road No. MR3, is a major highway of Eswatini. It is one of the most heavily trafficked roads in the country, crossing it from east to west. Along with the MR7 and MR8 roads, it forms the "backbone of Swaziland's internal transport system." It connects the EN5 road in Mozambique near Namaacha at 25°59′21″S31°59′53″E to the N17 road in South Africa at 26°12′45″S30°59′18″E, near Ngwenya. The road passes through Hlane Royal National Park and through the capital of Mbabane, about 110 kilometres (68 mi) further to the southwest. The highway descends into the Ezulwini Valley in four lanes. At Manzini, a bridge crosses the Mzimene River.

The Swaziland Reformed Church was founded in 1944 and become a congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa in 1967. Later the Swaziland Missionary Board was formed to coordinate the missionary work of the Reformed Church in Swaziland. In 1989 Swaziland become a Regional Synod of the denomination. In 1991 the Swaziland Reformed Church became independent and has 20 communities within which it is working. The church was a member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council and later became a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

SwaziBank, is a development finance institution, which doubles as a commercial bank in Eswatini. It is licensed and supervised by the Central Bank of Eswatini, the national banking regulator. As of March 2018 SwaziBank was the only indigenous commercial bank in the county, with the other three having their headquarters in neighboring South Africa.

References

  1. "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Archived from the original on November 24, 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  2. "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Archived from the original on November 25, 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  3. "Sikhuphe to receive the world early next year" . Retrieved 2010-08-15.