Transcript swaziland - School

SWAZILAND
SWAZILAND IS LOCATED IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA, BETWEEN
MOZAMBIQUE AND SOUTH AFRICA.
AUTONOMY FOR THE SWAZIS OF
SOUTHERN AFRICA WAS
GUARANTEED BY THE BRITISH IN THE
LATE 19TH CENTURY, INDEPENDENCE
WAS GRANTED ON THE 16TH
SEPTEMBER 1968.
DESPITE BEING CLASIFIED AS A
LOWER MIDDLE INCOME
DEVELOPING COUNTRY, 66% OF
SWAZILAND’S POPULATION LIVES
BELLOW THE POVERTY LINE. SOME
70% OF THE POPULATION LIVE IN
RURAL AREAS AND THE ECONOMY
IS STILL LARGELY BASED ON
AGRICULTURE.
INTERESTING FACTS
• UNEMPLOYEMENT RATES WERE
ESTIMATED TO BE 34% IN 2000
• POPULATION BELLOW POVERTY
LINE IS ESTIMATED AT 40%
• EXTERNAL DEBT: $320 MILLION
• ECONOMIC AID RECIPIENT: $104
MILLION
ECONOMY, AID AND DEBT
IN THIS SMALL LANDLOCKED ECONOMY, SUBSISTANCE
AGRICULTURE OCCUPIES MORE THAN 80% OF THE
POPULATION.
MORE THAN ONE-FORTH OF THE POPULATION NEEDED
EMERGENCY FOOD AID IN 2004 BECAUSE OF DROUGHT,
AND MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE ADULT
POPULATION WAS INFECTED BY HIV/AIDS
SWAZILAND IS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS,
THE AFRICAN UNION, COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN
AND SOUTHERN AFRICA AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
THE UNITED STATES ASSISTED SWAZILAND WITH THE
HIV/AIDS INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED
THROUGH THE US AGENCY INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, CENTRES FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE
PEACE CORPS AND THE AFRICA DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION
COSTA RICA
COSTA RICA IS LOCATED IN
CENTRAL AMERICA,
BORDERING BOTH THE
CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE
NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN,
BETWEEN NICARAGUE AND
PANAMA.
COSTA RICA IS A CENTRAL AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY: SINCE THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, ONLY
TWO BRIEF PERIODS OF VIOLENCE HAVE MARRED ITS DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT. ALTHOUGH
STILL A LARGELY AGRICULTURAL COUNTRY, IT HAS EXPANDED ITS ECONOMY TO INCLUDE
STRONG TECHNOLOGY AND TOURISM SECTORS. THE STANDARDS OF LIVING ARE RELATIVELY
HIGH. LAND OWNERSHIP IS WIDE SPREAD.
INTERESTING FACTS
• CAPITAL: SAN JOSE
• INDEPENDENCE: 15
SEPTEMBER 1821
(FROM SPAIN)
• UNEMPLOYEMENT
RATE: 6.6%
• POPULATION BELLOW
POVERTY LINE: 18%
• CLIMATE: TROPICAL+
SUBTROPICAL; DRY
SEASON (DECAPRL),RAINY SEASON
(MAY TO NOV)
• NATURAL
REASOURCES:
HYDROPOWER
ECONOMY,TRADE, DEBT
AND AID
FOREIGN INVESTERS REMAIN ATTRACTED BY THE COUNTRY’S
POLITICAL STABILITY AND HIGH EDUCATIONAL LEVELS, AND
TOURISM CONTINUES TO BRING IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE. LOW
PRICES FOR COFFEE AND BANANAS HAVE HURT THE
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO
GRAPPLE WITH ITS LARGE DEFICIT AND MASSIVE INTERNAL
DEBT.
•PUBLIC DEBT: 58% OF GDP
•EXTERNAL DEBT: $5.962 BILLION
•EXPORTS: COFFEE, BANANAS, SUGAR, PINEAPPLES,
TEXTILES, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, MEDICAL EQUIPTMENT
•CURRENCY: COSTA RICA COLON (CRC)
•EXPORT PARTNERS: NETHERLANDS 53%, USA 46.9%,
GUATAMALA 4.4%
COSTA RICA RECENTLY CONCLUDED NEGOTIATIONS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE US-CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE
AGREEMENT, WHICH, IF RATIFIED BY THE COSTA RICAN
LEGISLATURE, WOULD RESULT IN ECONOMIC REFORMS AND
AN IMPROVED INVESTMENT CLIMATE.