Eswatini

Eswatini is Africa's last absolute monarchy, a kingdom the size of New Jersey wedged between South Africa and Mozambique where the king's word is literally law. King Mswati III, who took the throne at 18 in 1986, has at least 15 wives, a fleet of luxury cars, and the power to dissolve parliament on a whim. Every year at the Umhlanga (Reed Dance) ceremony, tens of thousands of unmarried women dance before the king, who may select a new wife from among them. The country changed its name from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 on its 50th independence anniversary - the king simply announced it.

Beyond the royal spectacle, this tiny kingdom has genuine charm. The Ezulwini Valley, known as the "Valley of Heaven," cuts through the highland plateau with views that justify the name. Hlane Royal National Park puts you within walking distance of rhinos and elephants, Mlilwane is one of the few reserves in Africa you can explore on mountain bike or horseback, and the Swazi people maintain cultural traditions - from the Incwala kingship ceremony to intricate beadwork and basket-weaving - with an authenticity that larger nations have lost. At just 17,000 square kilometers, you can drive across the entire country in two hours, but the cultural density per square kilometer is extraordinary.