National Flag Day in eSwatini
In the Kingdom of Eswatini, April 25th is celebrated as National Flag Day. This public holiday commemorates the first time the Eswatini flag was hoisted above the country in 1967.
The flag of this country is based on the military flag that King Sobhuza II presented to the Swazi Pioneer Corps in 1941 as they began their training with the Allied Forces. When Swaziland moved towards independence, the Pioneer Corps Flag was widely used, so the National Council decided to adopt it as the new national flag. This became a reality on April 25, 1967.
Interesting Facts About Eswatini
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a country with a rich and interesting history. While we cannot hope to cover it all in a holiday article of this size, we can list some interesting facts that we learned about this nation as we began our research for National Eswatini Flag Day. Let’s take a quick look at them, shall we?
- Eswatini is one of the last absolute monarchies left in the world.
- The country is home to 500 bird species, 132 mammal species, 111 reptile and amphibian species, and over 3,500 plant species.
- In 2021, King Mswati III had 15 wives.
- A reed dance festival known as Umhlanga is held annually in Eswatini.
- Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa.
- Eswatini has several official languages, including siSwati and English.
Observing National Flag Day in Eswatini
This holiday is observed in the nation with special flag-raising ceremonies that may include parades, music, and other special events. As this is a public holiday in Eswatini, government buildings, schools, and many businesses are closed on this day.
(Note: The number of wives of King Mswati III has been corrected to 15 as per the information available up to the knowledge cutoff date in 2023. If this information is outdated, please replace it with the correct number.)