Swaziland
Geographically, Swaziland is one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of only 1 million. As in other Sub-Saharan African countries, the proportion of Muslims varies widely as there are no official figures, but available data suggests that it is at least around 5%. Most of the Muslims in the country are Muslims of Indian descent who came to the region from abroad.
Islam arrived in Swaziland from the late 19th century onwards through laborers brought from Muslim countries by the colonial British Empire.
The socio-economic status of Muslims depends on whether they are of indigenous or Asian origin. Indigenous black Muslims, who are very few in number, usually work alongside other Asian Muslims as unskilled laborers. Their wages are barely enough to live on and social coexistence with other Muslims seems impossible. In contrast, Muslims of Indian origin, who have strong ties among themselves, are economically in a better position than local Muslims. This economic imbalance, which is a serious social issue among the Muslim minority, is reflected in almost every aspect of life. The most noticeable point is the ratio of benefits from educational opportunities.
