Travel the World - Week 40

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This is the 40th week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.

This week's country is...

Swaziland

Swaziland is the smallest country in Africa. 

In 2018, King Mswati III renamed the country from Swaziland to ‘the Kingdom of Eswatini’. The monarch announced the official change in a stadium during celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Swazi independence from British rule.

Swaziland is almost completely surrounded by the larger country of South Africa, only sharing its eastern border with Mozambique.

It is one of the well-watered areas of sub- Saharan Africa. Major rivers include Ingwavuna, Makondo, Usutu, Ngwempisi, Lomti and Black Umbeluzi. It also has minerals such as iron ore, asbestos, tin, kaolin, coal, gold, barite and diamonds.

Agriculture is corn, sugarcane, wheat, hay, citrus fruits, potatoes, grapes, poultry, eggs, cattle and sheep. Major industries are sugar, mining (coal and asbestos) wood pulp, agriculture and soft drink concentrates.

Swaziland exports canned fruit, citrus, refrigerators, cotton yarn, wood pulp and sugar. It imports motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products and chemicals.

Seven in ten people in Swaziland live in abject poverty, and the country suffers from widespread malnutrition.

Swaziland has two official languages: English and ‎Swazi.

Prehistoric rock art paintings date from c. 25,000 B.C. and continuing up to the 19th century can be found in various places around the country.

The red feathers of the lourie bird are a sign of belonging to the royal family of Swaziland and can only be worn by members of the royal family.

It is possible to observe the famous big five game animals of lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo in Swaziland. Furthermore, it is home to 132 species of mammal, 500 species of bird, 111 species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 3,500 indigenous species of plants.

It is one of the few countries in the world where both black and white rhinos can be found.

Swaziland has a wide variety of landscapes, from the mountains along the Mozambican border to savannas in the east and rain forests in the northwest.

The mountains in Swaziland’s Malolotja Native Reserve are among the oldest in the world at 3.6 billion years.

Swaziland game rangers are allowed to shoot to kill anyone suspected of poaching.

You are expected to hand people things, eat, and do most things with your right hand. Your left is considered the hand you ‘wipe yourself’ with, and your right is what you use to engage with others. It is very rude to hand someone something with your left hand in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Road conditions in Swaziland are so hazardous that two of the last four of its Ministers of Transport have died in road accidents.

The Ngwenya Mine in Swaziland is considered to be the world’s oldest mine. Its iron ore deposits constitute one of the oldest geological formations in the world.

Traditionally, the family of a Swazi bride will receive a payment from the groom's family, usually in the form of cattle. Ten head of cattle is the usual price, but if the bride is a virgin or the daughter of a chief, additional cattle may be requested.

While it is tradition to not know the exact amount of wives or children a Swaziland king has, it is thought that King Sobhuza II acquired over 70 wives and had more than 600 children, including over 100 sons. Sobhuza II reigned from 1921 to 1982, making him the second-longest reigning monarch in world history.

The first wife of a Swaziland king is known as the ritual wife. She is thought to belong to the entire royal family and is considered to be an extension of the new king. To fulfill these duties, the ritual wife is not allowed to have any children.

An estimated 70,000 children in Swaziland have been orphaned due to AIDS. One out of every six Swazi children under the age of 15 has lost both parents to the virus.

More than half the population of Swaziland is below the age of 21. 

There is also a cultural belief in Africa that you can cure your HIV/AIDS by sleeping with the youngest possible virgin. It’s a deeply ingrained belief that poses a big problem and leads to rape.

Swaziland widows traditionally shave their heads as a sign of mourning.

The country of Swaziland has only 1 psychiatrist. 

In 2010, a 12-year-old boy was sentenced to either pay $40 or serve a 1-year sentence in jail in Swaziland because he had insulted his grandmother. He served the 1-year jail sentence due to not having the money to pay the fine.

Swaziland infants (babies) are not recognized as “persons” until three months of age. Until that time they are referred to as “things” with no names and cannot be touched by men. 

I decided to let this Swaziland fact be the inspiration for this week's card... In 2013, the country of Swaziland has banned witches from flying above an altitude of 150 meters.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: CC Designs Monster Mash stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and 110# White and SU Cajun Craze CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio Mini Brads