Eswatini

Where the name comes from

Eswatini means “land of the Swazi” in siSwati; Swazi honours King Mswati II, who expanded the kingdom in the 1800s.

First people

San hunter-gatherers lived here first, and King Mswati II expanded the Swazi kingdom in the 1800s.¹

Known for

Eswatini is known for the Umhlanga Reed Dance, when thousands of young women bring reeds to the queen mother.²

Outside contact

Transvaal protection began in 1894, and British rule from 1903 lasted until 1968.¹

The modern country

In 2018, the Kingdom of Swaziland changed its English name to Eswatini, marking 50 years of independence; it remains a monarchy with wide royal powers.³