Mbabane

The town grew after the nation's administrative centre moved from Bremersdorp (now called Manzini) in january of 1902.Britannica,

[https://www.britannica.com/place/Mbabane Mbabane], britannica.com, USA, accessed on June 30, 2019 It derives its name from a chief, Mbabane Kunene, who lived in the area when some British settlers arrived.

Mbabane was founded in 1887 by Mickey Wells, on the spot where the Transvaal-to-Mozambique route crossed the Mbabane river. It was declared the capital of the new Protectorate of Swaziland in 1902. During this time, Mbabane consisted of a few shops, churches and schools founded by white settlers. Black Africans were not allowed to live in the town and had to reside in nearby rural districts.{{cite journal|last1=Scott|first1=Peter|title=Land Policy and the Native Population of Swaziland|journal=The Geographical Journal|volume=117|issue=4|year=1951|pages=435–447|issn=0016-7398|doi=10.2307/1790685|jstor=1790685}} By the 1930s, Mbabane had electricity, running water, telephone connection and a hospital.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Prior to WW2, most Swazis lived in rural districts and worked outside Eswatini, which prevented the town from growing. After the war, the creation of trade schools in the city, the arrival of the Goba railway connecting Maputo to the mines in South Africa and Lesotho, and foreign investment resources within Eswatini (particularly sugar) all contributed to the city's growth.{{cn|date=January 2025}} Mbabane became the central hub for development in Hhohho.

In the years following independence, governmental buildings such as the British Consulate were built in Mbabane. Further growth has been achieved through the growth of the tourism industry in Eswatini, of which Mbabane has become the centre. Mbabane today is home to hotels and recreational sites such as clubs and golf courses tending to tourists.{{cite web|last1=Brooms|first1=Derrick|title=Mbabane, Swaziland (1887- )|url=http://www.swazilandhappenings.co.za/mbabanehomepage.htm|website=BlackPast.org|access-date=10 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908004220/http://www.blackpast.org/gah/mbabane-swaziland-1887|archive-date=8 September 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=MBABANE INFORMATION AND HISTORY|url=http://www.swazilandhappenings.co.za/mbabanehomepage.htm|website=eSwatini Happenings|access-date=10 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510125529/http://www.swazilandhappenings.co.za/mbabanehomepage.htm|archive-date=10 May 2018|url-status=live}}

Mbabane's closest border crossing to South Africa is Ngwenya-Oshoek, and though siSwati is the primary language, English is widespread. Mbabane, and Eswatini itself, depend on tourism and sugar exports.{{cn|date=January 2025}} It is also a commercial hub for the surrounding region, while tin and iron were mined nearby. The city has two sites for light industries.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

The financial service sector in Mbabane is also a key driver of economic growth, providing a wide array of services such as banking, investment management, and insurance, The continuous growth of the financial services sector in Mbabane has positioned the city as a key financial hub in the region, contributing to the overall economic progress of Eswatini.{{Cite web |last=Rume |first=Allison |date=2023-01-23 |title=Mbabane: Discover Mbabane, Capital of Swaziland |url=https://www.lonelyafrica.com/discover-mbabane/ |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Lonely Africa |language=en-US}}

Mbabane is the home of the Waterford-Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa, as well as one of the three campuses of the University of Eswatini. Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is a private international university that lies by the South African-Eswatini border.

Indingilizi Gallery is an art gallery in Mbabane, established in 1982 and showcases a range of Swazi art, including sculptures, paintings, batiks, mohair, ethnic jewellery and pottery.{{cite web|url=http://www.swaziplace.com/indinglizi/index.html|title=Indingilizi Gallery|publisher=Swaziplace.com|access-date=21 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707002313/http://www.swaziplace.com/indinglizi/index.html|archive-date=7 July 2013}}

Among the places of worship, there are predominantly Christian churches: Roman Catholic Diocese of Manzini (Catholic Church), Swaziland Reformed Church (World Communion of Reformed Churches), Zion Christian Church.Britannica,

[https://www.britannica.com/place/Eswatini Eswatini], britannica.com, USA, accessed on July 7, 2019 There are also Muslim mosques.

Mbabane is located in the district of Hhohho, of which it is also the capital, and lies on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdzimba Mountains. The average elevation of the city is 1,243 metres. Neighbourhoods and suburbs include Mbangweni, Sidvwashini, Kent Rock, Sandla, Westridge Park, Malunge, New Checkers, Msunduza and Vukutentele.

Due to its altitude, Mbabane features a moderate subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb). The city has a mild climate and snow is a rare event, occurring only three times since 1900.{{cite web|title=Mbabane|url=http://www.thekingdomofswaziland.com/pages/attractions/the_attraction.asp?AttractionsID=12|website=The Kingdom of Swaziland: A Royal Experience|publisher=Swaziland Tourist Board|access-date=7 March 2018}} The city averages only four days of frost a year. The average temperature is {{convert|11|°C|0}} in July and {{convert|22|°C|0}} in January.The Cambridge Factfinder; 4th ed.{{Cite web|url=https://en.climate-data.org/africa/suazilandia/sifundza-sehhohho/mbabane-2190/|title=Mbabane climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Mbabane weather averages - Climate-Data.org|website=en.climate-data.org|access-date=2019-02-15}} The thermal range is low, but the winter night is cold for a subtropical climate in general. Most of the precipitation is concentrated in the summer. The difference in the driest month (June) and the wettest (January) is 210 mm.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Mbabane (1961-1990 normals, extremes 1957-1977)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = 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 =

|Jan mean C = 19.9

|Feb mean C = 19.5

|Mar mean C = 18.8

|Apr mean C = 16.8

|May mean C = 14.7

|Jun mean C = 12.0

|Jul mean C = 12.2

|Aug mean C = 14.0

|Sep mean C = 16.4

|Oct mean C = 17.1

|Nov mean C = 17.7

|Dec mean C = 19.0

|year mean C =

|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 =

|Jan record high C = 33.4

|Feb record high C = 32.2

|Mar record high C = 33.5

|Apr record high C = 31.0

|May record high C = 29.4

|Jun record high C = 26.8

|Jul record high C = 28.6

|Aug record high C = 31.2

|Sep record high C = 33.6

|Oct record high C = 34.2

|Nov record high C = 34.5

|Dec record high C = 32.4

|Jan record low C = 8.6

|Feb record low C = 6.4

|Mar record low C = 6.0

|Apr record low C = 3.4

|May record low C = -1.3

|Jun record low C = -4.5

|Jul record low C = -6.1

|Aug record low C = -2.5

|Sep record low C = -1.0

|Oct record low C = -1.0

|Nov record low C = 5.5

|Dec record low C = 6.6

|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 =

|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 =

|Jan sun = 172.7

|Feb sun = 162.1

|Mar sun = 194.6

|Apr sun = 195.2

|May sun = 226.0

|Jun sun = 233.0

|Jul sun = 238.9

|Aug sun = 246.3

|Sep sun = 209.2

|Oct sun = 178.4

|Nov sun = 160.9

|Dec sun = 170.1

|year sun = 2387.1

|Jan percentsun = 41

|Feb percentsun = 45

|Mar percentsun = 52

|Apr percentsun = 57

|May percentsun = 68

|Jun percentsun = 75

|Jul percentsun = 73

|Aug percentsun = 72

|Sep percentsun = 59

|Oct percentsun = 45

|Nov percentsun = 40

|Dec percentsun = 40

|year percentsun = 55

|source 1 = WMO{{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}}

|source 2 = NOAA (extremes, sunshine 1970-1975){{cite web

| url = https://library.noaa.gov/Collections/Digital-Docs/Foreign-Climate-Data/South-Africa-Climate-Data

| title = South Africa Climatological Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = January 24, 2023}}

}}

File:Abacus Backpackers Mbabane Swaziland.jpg

File:Swaziland - Portable market hut in Mbabane.jpg

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Africa#Swaziland|l1=List of twin towns and sister cities in Eswatini}}

Mbabane is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|USA}} Fort Worth, Texas, US{{cite web|title=Mbabane|url=http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Mbabane,%20Swaziland|work=Sister Cities International|access-date=11 April 2014}}
• {{flagicon|ROC}} Taipei, Taiwan{{cite web|url=http://web.tcc.gov.tw/eng/sister_cities.htm|title=Taipei - International Sister Cities|access-date=2013-08-23|work=Taipei City Council | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121102035422/http://web.tcc.gov.tw/eng/sister_cities.htm|archive-date=2012-11-02}}
• {{flagicon|ROC}} Kaohsiung, Taiwan{{cite web|url=https://aia.kcg.gov.tw/siscity-11343-sistercitytw|title=Kaohsiung - International Sister Cities|access-date=2024-05-01|work=Kaohsiung City Government| archive-url =http://web.archive.org/web/20240501074316/https://aia.kcg.gov.tw/siscity-11343-sistercitytw|archive-date=2024-05-01}}
• {{flagicon|MAS}} Mersing, Malaysia
• {{flagicon|ESP}} Melilla, Spain
• {{flagicon|MOZ}} Maputo, Mozambique{{cite web|title=Maputo|url=http://www.mbabane.org.sz/international%20relations.htm|work=Tourism in Swaziland|access-date=2015-03-17}}

• Mark Easter - former rugby union footballer
• Lindiwe Sisulu - South African politician
• Richard E. Grant - actor
• Matthew Parris - British political writer and broadcaster
• George Getzel Cohen - founded Harry's Angels
• G. W. Reynolds - South African optometrist and authority on the genus Aloe
• Anna Livia - lesbian feminist author and linguist
• Noma Dumezweni - South African-British actress
• Dennis Masina - former footballer
• Sibusiso Dlamini - footballer
• Sibusiso Dlamini - Swazi princess and politician
• Cobie Legrange - South African professional golfer
• Christopher Watts - Anglican bishop
• Maurice S. Parker - footballer
• Ian Khama - fourth President of the Republic of Botswana
• Modison Salayedvwa Magagula - Swazi novelist, educator, playwright, poet and short-story author
• Ndumiso Mamba - former minister of justice in Swaziland
• Yvette Christiansë - South African-born poet and novelist
• Lucas Mlambo - Swazi painter
• Lucas Macie - Mozambiquan-Swazi painter
• Darren Christie - Liswati footballer
• Chakyl Camal - Australian-Mozambican Entrepreneur, swimmer
• Jani Simulambo - former Zambian footballer and coach
• John Ddumba Ssentamu - Ugandan economist, academic and banker
• Lisa de la Motte - Swazi former swimmer
• Gcinile Moyane - retired Swazi sprinter
• Jama Mahlalela - Swazi-Canadian basketball coach
• John de la Hay Gordon - British army officer, administrator and diplomat
• Michael S. Hoza - American diplomat
• David Gresham - South African independent record producer, publisher, promoter, and radio & television personality
• Cleopas Dlamini - prime minister of Eswatini from 2021 to 2023
• Nobuhle Dlamini - professional golfer
• Neville Markham - South African cricketer
• Veronica Sentongo - Ugandan telecommunications and electrical engineer
• John Macmillan - British actor

• Young Heroes (organization) (2006){{cite web | url =https://www.peacecorps.gov/eswatini/partners/ | title =Eswatini - Partners | publisher =Peace Corps | access-date =2019-06-25 }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History |editor1= Paul Tiyambe Zeleza |editor-link= Paul Tiyambe Zeleza |editor2= Dickson Eyoh |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0415234794 |year=2003

|chapter= Mbabane, Swaziland

}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• {{Wikivoyage-inline}}

{{List of African capitals}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|26|19|S|31|08|E|region:SZ_type:city|display=title}}

Category:Capitals in Africa

Category:Populated places in Hhohho Region

Category:1902 establishments in Africa

Category:Populated places established in 1902