Swaziland officially changes its name to ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’

King Mswati III of Swaziland, who is the Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has officially changed the name of his country to the ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’ to mark 50 years since independence from British rule. Meaning “Land of the Swazis”, eSwatini is the Swazi language name for the tiny state landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique. Unlike some countries, Swaziland did not change its name when it gained independence in 1968 after being a British protectorate for more than 60 years. The change was unexpected, but King Mswati has been referring to Swaziland for years as eSwatini. It was the name the king used when he addressed the UN general assembly in 2017 and at the state opening of the country’s parliament in 2014.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2018