Eswatini has Mbabane as its administrative capital and Lobamba as its royal and legislative capital.
This southern African kingdom is one of the few countries with officially distinct seats for different branches of government. Mbabane, in the northwestern Highveld, houses the main government ministries and is generally described as the administrative capital. Lobamba, in the Ezulwini Valley, is the traditional and legislative capital.
Lobamba contains the Parliament of Eswatini and is associated with the monarchy. Important national ceremonies, including the annual Incwala and Umhlanga celebrations, take place in or near the royal area. The separation of functions can cause confusion in quizzes that ask for “the capital” without specifying the role.
The country was widely known as Swaziland until its king announced the name Eswatini in 2018. It is a landlocked state bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. The monarchy remains central to its political and cultural identity.