Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small landlocked country located in Southern Africa. It borders South Africa and Mozambique. The country has a fascinating culture and breathtaking scenery. Let’s explore 49 riddles about this tiny kingdom.
Geography Riddles
Q: What is the tiny country surrounded completely by South Africa and Mozambique?
A: Eswatini.
Q: Which country in Africa has no coastline or ports?
A: Eswatini is completely landlocked.
Q: A country in Southern Africa is nicknamed “Switzerland of Africa” for its mountain scenery. What is it?
A: Eswatini. Its landscapes with mountains, valleys and forests resemble Switzerland.
Q: Which country is located on the highest part of the South African plateau?
A: Eswatini sits at 1,000-1,500 meters above sea level on average.
Q: What African country was formerly known as Swaziland?
A: Eswatini. It changed its name in 2018.
History Riddles
Q: Which present-day country was once ruled by the powerful King Sobhuza II for almost 83 years?
A: Eswatini. Sobhuza II had the longest documented reign in history.
Q: What country was a British protectorate until it gained independence in 1968?
A: Eswatini was a British protectorate from 1903 to 1968 before becoming fully independent.
Q: In 2018, which African country changed its name from something that sounded like a fancy word?
A: Eswatini changed its name from Swaziland in 2018 under King Mswati III.
Q: What country is currently ruled by King Mswati III, one of the last absolute monarchs in Africa?
A: Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati III who wields great political influence.
Q: Which country has a name that means “place of the Swazi” in the Swazi language?
A: Eswatini. Eswatini means “place of the Swazi people” who inhabit the country.
Culture Riddles
Q: What culture has famous dance festivals with tens of thousands of bare-breasted maidens?
A: At Eswatini’s Reed Dance festivals, thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls dance for the Queen Mother.
Q: In which African country might you find a king with 15 wives?
A: Polygamy is common in Eswatini where the king has multiple wives.
Q: There is an African ethnic group named after an 19th century king. What is this ethnic group called?
A: The Swazi people, named after 19th century king Mswati II. About 95% of Eswatini’s population is ethnic Swazis.
Q: In Eswatini, royal family members have special titles like what fierce animal?
A: Members of Eswatini’s royal Dlamini family have titles like Lion, Leopard, Tiger, Panther, and Elephant.
Q: What African tribal name starts with S-W-A, which is also the beginning of “Swaziland”?
A: Swazi is the name of the largest ethnic group in Eswatini, previously known as Swaziland.
Economy Riddles
Q: About 60% of the population of which country depends on subsistence farming?
A: In Eswatini, a majority rely on subsistence farming, often on Swazi Nation Land.
Q: Over 70% of Eswatini’s workforce is employed in what primary economic sector?
A: Agriculture. Most of Eswatini’s labor force works in farming which contributes over 60% of the country’s GDP.
Q: South African mining giant formerly had a stake in the main source of foreign exchange for Eswatini. What was it?
A: Sugar. South African company Illovo Sugar had a large stake in Eswatini’s key sugar industry.
Q: What product does Eswatini export to over 30 countries that starts with S but isn’t sugar or fruit?
A: Soft drink concentrates. Coca Cola and other soft drink companies have concentrate plants in Eswatini.
Q: In the past, up to 60% of Swaziland’s economic output came from rail transit dues paid by which neighbor?
A: South Africa. Eswatini earned transport revenues as rail cargo passed through to South African ports.
Nature Riddles
Q: Which country has reserves and conservation parks covering about 4% of its total land area?
A: Eswatini. Its nature reserves take up over 3% of the tiny country’s area.
Q: A range of what begin with M-L that is a hotspot for endangered birds in Eswatini?
A: The Malolotja mountains are home to threatened raptor species like the endangered Cape vulture.
Q: Which nation contains a protected area called Malalotja with rare antelopes, black eagles and one of the world’s highest tree densities?
A: Eswatini. Malolotja is a nature reserve with diverse flora and fauna.
Q: The Ngwempisi is Eswatini’s main river located in which region of the country?
A: The Shiselweni region in southern Eswatini.
Q: About 1/3 of Eswatini is taken up by plantations of what cash crop?
A: Pine, eucalyptus and wattle trees cover nearly 30% of Eswatini grown for timber.
Tourism Riddles
Q: Which country has a famous traditional Reed Dance festival you can witness as visitor?
A: The Reed Dance held in Eswatini every September brings thousands of local women together for colorful singing and dancing.
Q: What country started a Meet the People cultural program letting tourists visit rural homesteads?
A: Eswatini’s Meet the People program enables cultural exchanges between visitors and Swazi families.
Q: Travelers can go to the 18th century royal village of which present-day African country?
A: Ludzidzini Royal Village in Eswatini has residence of the Swazi queen mother.
Q: In Eswatini, you can see elite regiments like the “Red Shields” march in traditional dress on which special day?
A: On Eswatini’s Independence Day, April 25, regiments of the Umbutfo Swazidefence Force parade in traditional attire.
Q: Which tiny African nation contains the Ezulwini Valley nicknamed the “Valley of Heaven”?
A: Eswatini has the scenic Ezulwini Valley between Mbabane and Manzini with craft shops, casinos and hotels.
Food Riddles
Q: A Swazi starch side dish is called phutu or bubotie depending on its key ingredient—is it corn or wheat flour?
A: Corn meal makes pap-like phutu while breadcrumb-like bubotie is made from wheat flour.
Q: Emahewu is a popular non-alcoholic sorghum drink that starts with M-A, a word that aptly describes its texture. What is it?
A: Mahewu. The thick, sour-tasting beverage has a mealy texture.
Q: Swazis cook succulent meat with peri peri sauce. What type of meat is it usually?
A: Chicken is most common but beef and goat are also popular. Peri peri chicken livers are a delicacy.
Q: Swazis cook seasonal vegetables like baby marrow and spinach using a stamp mealie technique. What grain is used?
A: Maize/corn. The kernels are stamped to form mealie for cooking veggies into morogo stew.
Q: At Swazi weddings, a cow slaughter ritual called “go cattle” represents what?
A: Lobola bride price. The husband’s family gives cattle to the bride’s family.
Miscellaneous Riddles
Q: Eswatini’s national flag has traditional weapons plus blue, red, yellow. Name one weapon on it.
A: Spear, shield, axe or knobkerrie (club). They represent protection and authority.
Q: What are emaSwati and emaTfwala—key musical instruments used in Eswatini traditional dance and song?
A: EmaSwati are clapping sticks struck together rhythmically. EmaTfwala are blowing horns.
Q: The name of Eswatini’s currency the lilangeni means “piece of” what within Swazi culture?
A: The lilangeni means “piece of ochre”, as red ochre was traditionally used for ornamentation.
Q: The spider on Eswatini’s money and postage stamps represents what clever skill of folklore hero Tobane?
A: Spinning and weaving. The spider emblem symbolizes Tobane’s craft skills and wisdom.
Q: Eswatini’s national bird seen on the 5 lilangeni coin has a black and white plumage that looks like what?
A: The Cape Sugarbird resembles clergy attire. Its black and white plumage looks like the cassock and tunic of clergy dress.
Conclusion
We’ve covered 49 brain-twisting riddles around geography, culture, cuisine and quirky aspects that make the kingdom of Eswatini uniquely fascinating. Exploring a country through riddles is a playful way to pick up interesting trivia. Hopefully, unraveling these Swazi riddles has brought some smiles while offering bits of insight into Africa’s smallest sovereign nation.
