Swaziland
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. King Mswati III rules by decree over his million subjects who live mainly in rural areas and maintain traditional ways of life. Swaziland's political stability, especially relative to regional competitors, has long been a major feature of the country's attractive business climate.
While there are currently no known threats to expatriate personnel traveling to or residing in Swaziland, occasional labor-related violence does occur and in the late 1990's several bomb attacks took place near government buildings. A previously unknown domestic group claimed the attacks.
