On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the country, the king of Swaziland decided to change the name because it was often confused with Switzerland.
Swaziland , an African country sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, officially changed its name on its 50th founding day.
King Mswati III.
King Mswati III has been in power since 1986.
The reason for the name change was given by King Mswati III because the name Swaziland is often confused with Switzerland (Switzerland) in international transactions. It is expected that Swaziland’s new name will be eSwatini and mark half a century of its independence from British colonialism.
King Mswati III announced the change of the country’s name at a stadium crowded with people. He said he did not want the name Swaziland to be confused with Switzerland again. King Mswati III said: “ Whenever we go abroad, people think we are Swiss.”
Unlike many other African countries when they gained independence, Swaziland has kept this name since 1968. “African countries used to take their names from ancient times after gaining independence. Hence from today, I declare the country of Swaziland to be called the Kingdom of eSwatini ”.
King Mswati III ascended the throne in 1986 at the age of 18. He is a man with extravagant spending habits even though this country is the poorest in Africa. In Swaziland, political parties are not allowed to vote and only candidates chosen by the royal family can participate in the public system.
Swaziland has about 1.3 million people and also has the highest HIV prevalence in the world, with 27% of adults living with HIV.