Eswatini (formerly Swaziland, renamed in 2018) is a small landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa almost entirely surrounded by South Africa. It is one of the world's last remaining absolute monarchies, ruled by King Mswati III. The country is known for its colourful cultural traditions, including the annual Umhlanga (Reed Dance) ceremony and the Incwala first fruits festival.
Population and area are rounded.
Blue stands for peace, yellow for the country's resources, and crimson for past battles. The centre shows a Nguni shield of black and white ox-hide with two spears and a staff decorated with tassels of widowbird feathers, symbols of the monarchy. The flag is based on a banner given to the Swazi Pioneer Corps in 1941 and was adopted in 1968.
Eswatini became independent from Britain on 6 September 1968, and the flag was adopted a month later. The shield, spears and staff are those of the Emasotsha regiment. In 2018 King Mswati III changed the country's name from Swaziland to Eswatini, but the flag stayed the same. Eswatini is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world.
Horizontal blue-yellow-red-yellow-blue with a black-and-white Swazi shield and spears in the centre.
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world.
Every flag that has flown over Eswatini, from today back through time.
Adopted at independence in 1968, based on a military banner King Sobhuza II gave the Swazi Pioneer Corps in 1941, featuring a black-and-white Nguni shield with two spears and a fighting staff. The country renamed itself Eswatini in 2018, but the flag was unchanged.
Swaziland was a British protectorate from 1903 until independence in 1968, under the Union Jack. The Swazi monarchy survived the colonial era intact, and King Sobhuza II — who reigned for nearly 83 years, one of the longest in recorded history — led the nation to independence with its traditional kingship fully restored.
Eswatini shares a land border with 2 countries: Mozambique and South Africa.
One other national flag uses the same main colours as Eswatini's.
Play Globalio and learn Eswatini's flag
Mozambique
South Africa
Antigua and Barbuda