Forest Resource

Overview

Swaziland is modestly forested with around 8 percent forest cover. The country’s natural forests primarily comprise closed moist broadleaved forest and dry forest in the north-west, with savannah woodland in the east. The moist broadleaved forest is generally in small patches in ravines and valleys of the Lebombo mountains. Typical species include Cordyla africana and Ficus spp.. The savannahs mainly comprise Acacia and Euclea species. More than half of Swaziland’s forest area is plantation with the bulk of this being Pinus spp. in the Usutu and Pigg’s Peak forests. Swaziland has a modest network of protected areas, comprising nature reserves and game sanctuaries. Around 3 percent of Swaziland’s forests are in protected areas.

Geographic Description

The Kingdom of Swaziland, located in south-eastern Africa, is bounded on the east by Mozambique and on the south-east, south, west, and north by South Africa. It covers an area of 17 363 km2.

Swaziland can be divided into three regions based on elevation. In the western part of the country, forested mountains reach altitudes of up to 1 370 m. East of the mountains is a hilly grassland, or veld, with an average elevation of about 600 m. The far eastern region, the low veld, is a rolling plain covered with bushes and low grass and averaging 120 to 300 m elevation. It is bounded on the east by the Lebombo Mountains. There are four main rivers, the Ingwavuma, Komati, Umbuluzi, and Great Usutu. All of them flow from west to east.

The climate is mostly temperate, with cool temperatures at higher elevations and more tropical weather in the low veld. Precipitation, which is heavier in the west, is concentrated in the warmer months of October through April. The temperature in Mbabane, located in the western highlands, ranges from 15° to 25° C in January and 6° to 19° C in July. Precipitation in the mountains ranges up to 2 000 mm, while as little as 500 mm falls in the low veld.

Ecological Zones

Forest Industry

Forest Map