Eswatini
/ˌɛswɑːˈtiːni/noun
A landlocked country in southern Africa, formerly known internationally as Swaziland.
Did you know?The name change from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 was intended to restore the country’s indigenous siSwati name and avoid confusion with Switzerland.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial era
siSwati
emaSwati
“The Swazi people; the plural ethnonym from which the country’s name is formed.”
19th Century
siSwati
Mswati
“The royal name associated especially with King Mswati II, whose reign helped consolidate the Swazi kingdom.”
19th Century
siSwati
eSwatini
“In or to the land of the Swazi people; e- functions as a locative element.”
1889
English
Swaziland
“The English colonial-era name meaning the land of the Swazis.”
1968
English
Kingdom of Swaziland
“The independent state’s official English name after independence from Britain.”
2018
siSwati
Kingdom of Eswatini
“The official name adopted to reflect the country’s indigenous name and identity.”