Eswatini
Kingdom of Eswatini
Population
1.14M
Area
17,364 km²
GDP
$4.89B
GDP Per Capita
$10,400
Pop. Density
65/km²
Background
In 2021, MSWATI III used security forces to suppress prodemocracy protests. A national dialogue and reconciliation process agreed to in the wake of violence has not materialized. In November 2023, King MSWATI III appointed a new prime minister following peaceful national elections. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty, corruption, and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections. Eswatini is the only country in Africa that recognizes Taiwan.
Geography17
Location
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Geographic coordinates
26 30 S, 31 30 E
Map references
Africa
Area
land: 17,204 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries
border countries: Mozambique 108 km; South Africa 438 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Elevation
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
mean elevation: 305 m
Natural resources
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
500 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
drought
Geography - note
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
People & Society33
Population
male: 557,204
female: 580,064
Nationality
adjective: Swati; note - former term, Swazi, still used among English speakers
Ethnic groups
predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry
Languages
English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)
Religions
Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 341,298/female 390,884)
65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 16,974/female 28,765)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 44.7 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.5 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.3 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 23.4 years
female: 25.8 years
Population growth rate
0.87% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
20.66 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-3.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
because of its mountainous terrain, the population distribution is uneven throughout the country, concentrating primarily in valleys and plains as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
118 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 40.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 58.7 years
female: 62.8 years
Total fertility rate
2.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.3 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 11.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
16.5% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 2.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 5.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 16.1% (2025 est.)
female: 1.2% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
5% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
36.4% (2022 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 1.9% (2022)
men married by age 18: 0% (2022)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 19.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy
male: 91.1% (2022 est.)
female: 90.4% (2022 est.)
Government25
Country name
conventional long form
conventional short form
local long form
local short form
former
etymology
Government type
absolute monarchy
Capital
geographic coordinates: 26 19 S, 31 08 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; it may come from the Mbabane River next to the city, whose name is said to derive from the word lubabe, a type of shrub; another theory cites a local chief, Mbabane KUNENE, as the source of the name
Administrative divisions
4 regions; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Legal system
mixed system of civil, common, and customary law
Constitution
amendment process: proposed at a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both houses and/or majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of amendments affecting "specially entrenched" constitutional provisions requires at least three-fourths majority vote by both houses, passage by simple majority vote in a referendum, and assent of the king; passage of "entrenched" provisions requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses, passage in a referendum, and assent of the king
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Eswatini
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age
Executive branch
head of government: Prime Minister Russell DLAMINI (since 6 November 2023)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
number of seats
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: justices of the Supreme Court and High Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a judicial advisory body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, 4 members appointed by the monarch, and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission; justices of both courts eligible for retirement at age 65 with mandatory retirement at age 75
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; National Swazi Courts for administering customary/traditional laws (jurisdiction restricted to customary law for Swazi citizens)
Political parties
African United Democratic Party or AUDP
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC
People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO
Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
email address and website:
[email protected]
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
6 September 1968 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)
Flag
meaning: blue stands for peace and stability, red for past struggles, and yellow for the mineral resources of the country; the shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from enemies, and the shield colors stand for ethnic groups living in peaceful coexistence
National symbol(s)
lion, elephant
National color(s)
blue, yellow, red
National coat of arms
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: Andrease Enoke Fanyana SIMELANE/David Kenneth RYCROFT
history: adopted 1968; uses elements of both ethnic Swazi and Western music styles
Economy31
Economic overview
landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $12.553 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $12.135 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 1.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $10,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $10,000 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.892 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018: 4.8% (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 6.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 34.7% (2023 est.)
services: 51.7% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, sweet potatoes (2023)
Industries
soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel
Industrial production growth rate
0.5% (2023 est.)
Labor force
390,600 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 35.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 35.4% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 56% (2024 est.)
female: 60.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
58.9% (2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 42.7% (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $1.439 billion (2021 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
24.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022: -$140.972 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: $125.318 million (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022: $2.095 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $2.132 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners
South Africa 61%, Ireland 4%, Mozambique 4%, Kenya 4%, Nigeria 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities
scented mixtures, raw sugar, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, garments, wood (2023)
Imports
Imports 2022: $2.288 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $2.173 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners
South Africa 71%, China 8%, India 4%, USA 2%, Mozambique 1% (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, electricity, plastic products, cotton fabric, garments (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $452.352 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $572.282 million (2021 est.)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy6
Electricity access
electrification - urban areas: 86.1%
electrification - rural areas: 81.6%
Electricity
consumption: 1.308 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 928.237 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 167.476 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 54.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 37.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption: 202,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 201,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 4.644 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
1 state-owned TV station; satellite dishes can access South African providers; state-owned radio network with 3 channels; 1 private radio station (2019)
Internet country code
.sz
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)
Transportation4
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
3DC
Airports
16 (2025)
Heliports
1 (2025)
Railways
narrow gauge: 301 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Military & Security6
Military and security forces
Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
estimated 3,000 active-duty Defense Force (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the UEDF has a small inventory of mostly older light weapons and equipment originating from Europe, South Africa, Taiwan, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military - note
the UEDF’s primary mission is external defense, which includes mostly securing the borders; it also has domestic security responsibilities, including protecting members of the royal family; the king is the UEDF commander in chief and holds the position of minister of defense, although the UEDF reports to the Army commander and principal undersecretary of defense for day-to-day operations; the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) is responsible for maintaining internal security as well as migration and border crossing enforcement; it is under the prime minister, although the king is the force’s titular commissioner in chief; the UEDF was originally created in 1973 as the Royal Swaziland Defense Force (2025)
Transnational Issues1
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 56 (2024 est.)