The Kingdom of Swaziland is a small country about the size of New Jersey located in Southern Africa between South Africa and Mozambique. There are currently just over a million people living in Swaziland. However, due to HIV/AIDS, the population growth rate is now negative and the life expectancy has fallen to only 32 years, the lowest in the world.  The Swazi people are known as kind, generous and friendly. The landscape is beautiful and diverse with rich and abundant wildlife, including game reserves home to the big five. The social norms of Swaziland are multi-faceted and full of dichotomies. From Christian to traditional beliefs, rural to urban lifestyles, traditional to modern dress codes, and conservative to progressive views, it is difficult to define Swazis as one way or the other. While these dichotomies in many ways make Swaziland a unique and dynamic place, they also create much conflict and even fuel the crisis of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Swazi people descend from the southern Bantu who migrated from central Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries together with the Xhosas and the Zulus. Formally ruled by the British, the country gained its independence in 1968 and is now the last absolute monarchy in Africa. The current king, King Mswati III, has been in power since 1986. The native language in Swaziland is siSwati; however English is also an official language in the country and is used in business.