SWAZILAND - Kingdom of Swaziland / Umbuso weSwatini

Eswatini (Swazi: eSwatini), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini (Swazi: Umbuso weSwatini) and also known as Swaziland; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, and south. At no more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) north to south and 130 kilometres (81 mi) east to west, Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa; despite this, its climate and topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld. The population is composed primarily of ethnic Swazis. The language is Swazi (siSwati in native form). The Swazis established their kingdom in the mid-18th century under the leadership of Ngwane III. The country and the Swazi take their names from Mswati II, the 19th-century king under whose rule Swazi territory was expanded and unified; the present boundaries were drawn up in 1881 in the midst of the Scramble for Africa. After the Second Boer War, the kingdom, under the name of Swaziland, was a British protectorate from 1903 until it regained its independence on 6 September 1968. In April 2018, the official name was changed from Kingdom of Swaziland to Kingdom of Eswatini, mirroring the name commonly used in Swazi.  The government is an absolute monarchy, ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. Elections are held every five years to determine the House of Assembly and the Senate majority. The current constitution was adopted in 2005. Umhlanga, the reed dance held in August/September, and incwala, the kingship dance held in December/January, are the nation's most important events.

There are known to be 507 bird species in Eswatini, including 11 globally threatened species and four introduced species, and 107 mammal species endemic to Eswatini, including the critically endangered South-central black rhinoceros and seven other endangered or vulnerable species. Protected areas of Eswatini include seven nature reserves, four frontier conservation areas and three wildlife or game reserves. Hlane Royal National Park, the largest park in Eswatini, is rich in bird life, including white-backed vultures, white-headed, lappet-faced and Cape vultures, raptors such as martial eagles, bateleurs, and long-crested eagles, and the southernmost nesting site of the marabou stork.

The first stamps of Swaziland were overprinted stamps of South African Republic (Transvaal) issued 18 October 1889. Swaziland became a protectorate of the South African Republic in 1894 and the stamps of the South African Republic were used. In 1902, Swaziland became a British protectorate following the Second Boer War and the stamps of the Transvaal Colony were used. From 1910, the stamps of the Union of South Africa were used. Stamps were issued for Swaziland again in 1933. In 1967, Swaziland issued stamps as a self-governing protected state. The kingdom gained independence in 1968. Since 2018, stamps are inscribed "Eswatini".

The cover posted by  David, during his African tour  on September 09, 2016 and I received them in my hands on October 11, 2016. Thank You very much David for the great covers !

The covers posted on September 09, 2016 and I received them in my hands on October 01, 2016.