Geography of Eswatini#Climate
{{Short description|none}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2022}}
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), is a country in Southern Africa lying between Mozambique and South Africa. The country is located at the geographic coordinates {{coord|26|30|S|31|30|E|type:country}}. Eswatini has an area of 17,363 square kilometres, of which 160 are water. The major regions of the country are Lowveld, Midveld and Highveld.
Climate
{{more|Climate change in Eswatini}}
The climate varies from tropical to near temperate. The seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere with December being mid-summer and June mid-winter. Generally speaking, rain falls mostly during the summer months, often in the form of thunderstorms. Winter is the dry season. Annual rainfall is highest on the Highveld in the west, between {{convert|1000|and|2000|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} depending on the year. The further east, the less rain, with the Lowveld recording {{convert|500|to|900|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} per annum. Variations in temperature are also related to the altitude of the different regions. The Highveld temperature is temperate and seldom uncomfortably hot while the Lowveld may record temperatures around {{convert|40|°C|lk=on}} in summer.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Mbabane
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan high C = 24.9
|Feb high C = 24.5
|Mar high C = 24.1
|Apr high C = 22.6
|May high C = 21.4
|Jun high C = 19.3
|Jul high C = 19.8
|Aug high C = 21.3
|Sep high C = 23.2
|Oct high C = 22.8
|Nov high C = 22.5
|Dec high C = 23.7
|year high C = 22.5
|Jan low C = 14.9
|Feb low C = 14.5
|Mar low C = 13.4
|Apr low C = 11.0
|May low C = 7.9
|Jun low C = 4.7
|Jul low C = 4.6
|Aug low C = 6.6
|Sep low C = 9.5
|Oct low C = 11.3
|Nov low C = 12.9
|Dec low C = 14.2
|year low C = 10.5
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 253.2
|Feb rain mm = 224.6
|Mar rain mm = 151.6
|Apr rain mm = 87.9
|May rain mm = 33.8
|Jun rain mm = 19.4
|Jul rain mm = 20.1
|Aug rain mm = 35.1
|Sep rain mm = 69.4
|Oct rain mm = 141.9
|Nov rain mm = 197.8
|Dec rain mm = 206.9
|year rain mm = 1441.7
|Jan rain days = 16.9
|Feb rain days = 14.3
|Mar rain days = 13.8
|Apr rain days = 9.8
|May rain days = 5.1
|Jun rain days = 2.8
|Jul rain days = 3.1
|Aug rain days = 6.5
|Sep rain days = 9.2
|Oct rain days = 14.9
|Nov rain days = 17.0
|Dec rain days = 16.5
|year rain days = 129.9
|source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web
| url = http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=912
| title = World Weather Information Service – Mbabane
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| access-date = 21 December 2015}}
|date=August 2010
}}
{{Weather box
|width=auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Big Bend
|collapsed = yes
| Jan high C =32.2
| Feb high C =31.7
| Mar high C =30.6
| Apr high C =29.1
| May high C =27.0
| Jun high C =25.2
| Jul high C =25.2
| Aug high C =26.5
| Sep high C =28.4
| Oct high C =29.8
| Nov high C =30.2
| Dec high C =31.6
| Jan mean C =26.2
| Feb mean C =26.0
| Mar mean C =25.0
| Apr mean C =22.8
| May mean C =19.9
| Jun mean C =17.3
| Jul mean C =17.1
| Aug mean C =19.0
| Sep mean C =21.4
| Oct mean C =23.4
| Nov mean C =24.3
| Dec mean C =25.6
| Jan low C =20.3
| Feb low C =20.4
| Mar low C =19.5
| Apr low C =16.6
| May low C =12.8
| Jun low C = 9.4
| Jul low C = 9.1
| Aug low C =11.5
| Sep low C =14.5
| Oct low C =17.1
| Nov low C =18.5
| Dec low C =19.6
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm =98
| Feb precipitation mm =75
| Mar precipitation mm =63
| Apr precipitation mm =32
| May precipitation mm =20
| Jun precipitation mm = 9
| Jul precipitation mm = 9
| Aug precipitation mm =12
| Sep precipitation mm =31
| Oct precipitation mm =51
| Nov precipitation mm =79
| Dec precipitation mm =82
| source = Climate-Data.org {{cite web
|url = https://en.climate-data.org/africa/swaziland/sifundza-selubombo/big-bend-765257/
|title = Climate: Big Bend
|publisher = Climate-Data.org
|access-date = August 26, 2019}}
}}
{{Weather box
|width = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
|collapsed = yes
| location = Manzini
| Jan high C =28.2
| Feb high C =28.1
| Mar high C =27.3
| Apr high C =26.0
| May high C =24.0
| Jun high C =22.2
| Jul high C =22.0
| Aug high C =23.6
| Sep high C =25.3
| Oct high C =26.4
| Nov high C =26.8
| Dec high C =27.9
| Jan mean C =23.0
| Feb mean C =23.0
| Mar mean C =22.1
| Apr mean C =20.1
| May mean C =17.2
| Jun mean C =15.0
| Jul mean C =14.6
| Aug mean C =16.6
| Sep mean C =18.7
| Oct mean C =20.5
| Nov mean C =21.5
| Dec mean C =22.6
| Jan low C =17.9
| Feb low C =17.9
| Mar low C =16.9
| Apr low C =14.3
| May low C =10.5
| Jun low C = 7.8
| Jul low C = 7.3
| Aug low C = 9.6
| Sep low C =12.2
| Oct low C =14.7
| Nov low C =16.2
| Dec low C =17.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm =145
| Feb precipitation mm =133
| Mar precipitation mm =100
| Apr precipitation mm = 54
| May precipitation mm = 26
| Jun precipitation mm = 15
| Jul precipitation mm = 15
| Aug precipitation mm = 19
| Sep precipitation mm = 45
| Oct precipitation mm = 84
| Nov precipitation mm =119
| Dec precipitation mm =126
| source = Climate-Data.org {{cite web
|url = https://en.climate-data.org/africa/swaziland/sifundza-semanzini/manzini-23514/
|title = Climate: Manzini
|publisher = Climate-Data.org
|access-date = August 26, 2019}}
}}
Physical geography
The terrain largely consists of mountains and hills, with some moderately sloping plains. The lowest point is the Great Usutu River at {{convert|21|m}}, and the highest is Emlembe at {{convert|1,862|m}}.
As a landlocked country, Eswatini has neither coastline nor maritime claims. In terms of land boundaries, Eswatini borders Mozambique for {{convert|105 |km}} and South Africa for {{convert|430 |km}}, giving a total land boundary length of {{convert|535 |km}}.
=Natural resources=
Eswatini's natural resources are asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone and talc.
{{convert|670|km2}} of the country's land is irrigated. The following table describes land use in Eswatini:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Land use | |
| Use | Percentage by area |
|---|---|
| Arable land
| 9.77 | |
| Permanent crops
| 0.7 | |
| Other
| 89.53 |
Environment
File:Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Eswatini 01.jpg]]
Eswatini is prone to floods and drought. Soil erosion as a result of overgrazing is a growing problem.
Eswatini is part of the following international agreements: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban and Ozone Layer Protection. The country has signed, but not ratified the agreement on desertification and the law of the sea.
Extreme points
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2018}}
This is a list of the extreme points of Eswatini, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
- Northernmost point - unnamed location of the border with South Africa immediately north of the village of Horo, Hhohho Region
- Easternmost point - the tripoint with South Africa and Mozambique, Lubombo Region
- Southernmost point - unnamed location on the border with South Africa, Shiselweni Region
- Westernmost point - a longitudinal segment of the border with South Africa, Manzini Region (not a single point)
References
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