Geography
Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Eswatini
AfricaLand of Contrasts
Strong in one area, surprising in another — that's Eswatini. How well do you know Eswatini's stats?
Strong in one area, surprising in another — that's Eswatini. It ranks #24 in education spending, yet surprisingly lags in life expectancy. How well do you know Eswatini's stats?
-26.5, 31.5 - Africa
Area
17K km²
Pop.
1.14M
Stats
118
Reality brief
Eswatini is a country in Africa with a population of 1.14M and an area of 17,364 km². Life expectancy is 64.1 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
Population Density
71.54 /km²#134globally
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
GDP Per Capita
$10,367.27#129globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Human Development Index
0.69#127globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$11,799.2#130globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Internet Users (%)
58%#168globally
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Eswatini
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Culture
Major languages include English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official).
CIA 2026
Identity
Formal name: Kingdom of Eswatini.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Eswatini
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Unemployment Rate
34.4%#1globallyTop stat
The percentage of the workforce that is unemployed but actively looking for work.
Suicide Rate
27.23 per 100k#3globallyTop stat
Suicide mortality rate per 100,000 people, from World Bank Open Data.
Youth Unemployment Rate
54.33% of youth labor force#3globallyTop stat
Share of the labor force ages 15-24 that is unemployed from the World Bank latest available country value.
Education Spending (% GDP)
6.0% of GDP#24globallyTop stat
Government education spending as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Renewable Energy (%)
64.7%#32globallyTop stat
The percentage of energy consumption that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #231 in coastline length
#2310 kmCoastline Length
Total coastline length from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #147 in air passengers
#14734.7KAir Passengers
Total passengers carried by airlines registered in that country, regardless of where flights originated or ended.
Only ranks #157 in high-tech exports (%)
#1570.29%High-Tech Exports (%)
High-tech products (like computers, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace) as a percentage of total manufactured exports.
Only ranks #211 in urban population (%)
#21126.25%Urban Population (%)
The percentage of people living in cities and urban areas.
Only ranks #122 in railway length
#122301 kmRailway Length
Total railway length from CIA World Factbook.
Compared with the region
How Eswatini Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Eswatini
Africa avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $11,799.2
- Region avg
- $7,919.74
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Eswatini$11,799.2
Africa$7,919.74
World$31,844.55
-63% below worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 64.1 years
- Region avg
- 65.4 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Eswatini64.1 years
Africa65.4 years
World73.7 years
-13% below worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.69
- Region avg
- 0.58
- World avg
- 0.74
Eswatini0.69
Africa0.58
World0.74
-6% below worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 58%
- Region avg
- 43.08%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Eswatini58%
Africa43.08%
World70.29%
-17% below worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Eswatini
Country briefing
A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and ruled by a series of kings, including MSWATI II, a 19th century ruler whose name was adopted for the country and its predominant ethnic group.
Read the full Factbook note
A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and ruled by a series of kings, including MSWATI II, a 19th century ruler whose name was adopted for the country and its predominant ethnic group. European countries defined the kingdom’s modern borders during the late-19th century, and Swaziland (as it became known) was administered as a UK high commission territory from 1903 until its independence in 1968. A new constitution that came into effect in 2005 included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear, and the kingdom is still considered an absolute monarchy. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 to reflect the name most commonly used by its citizens.
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.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
- Climate
- varies from tropical to near temperate
- Terrain
- mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
- Natural Resources
- asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
- Natural Hazards
- drought
- Size Comparison
- slightly smaller than New Jersey
People & Culture4 facts
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry
- Major Cities
- 68,000 MBABANE (capital) (2018)
Government & History9 facts
- Government Type
- absolute monarchy
- Capital
- Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
- Capital Coordinates
- 26 19 S, 31 08 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Kingdom of Eswatini
- Name Origin
- the country name derives from 19th century King MSWATI II, under whose rule Swati territory was expanded and unified
- Independence
- 6 September 1968 (from the UK)
- National Symbols
- lion, elephant
- National Anthem
- "Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati" (O God, Bestower of the Blessings of the Swazi)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- 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
- Industries
- soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel
- Agricultural Products
- sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, sweet potatoes (2023)
- Export Partners
- South Africa 61%, Ireland 4%, Mozambique 4%, Kenya 4%, Nigeria 3% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- scented mixtures, raw sugar, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, garments, wood (2023)
- Import Partners
- South Africa 71%, China 8%, India 4%, USA 2%, Mozambique 1% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, electricity, plastic products, cotton fabric, garments (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force (UEDF): Army (includes a small air wing); the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); 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.)
- 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)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #1
Unemployment Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
GDP Growth Rate
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
Inflation Rate
Government Debt (% GDP)
GDP (Nominal)
High-Tech Exports (%)
Health & Survival8 statsBest: #3
Education & Future2 statsBest: #24
Environment9 statsBest: #32
Renewable Energy (%)
Irrigated Land
500 km²#110
Forest Coverage (%)
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Forest Area
CO2 Per Capita
Electricity Access (%)
Total CO2 Emissions
Protected Land (%)
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #37
Lowest Elevation
21 m#37
Highest Elevation
1.9K m#131
Land Border Length
546 km#136
Coastline Length
0 km#231
Demographics12 statsBest: #43
Teen Birth Rate
Fertility Rate
Birth Rate
Youth Population (%)
Dependency Ratio
Death Rate
Population Density
Population
Land Area
Elderly Population (%)
Median Age
Urban Population (%)
Technology3 statsBest: #46
Lifestyle5 statsBest: #65
Military & Defense1 statsBest: #90
Military Spending
Society & Equality1 statsBest: #113
Women in Parliament (%)
Infrastructure2 statsBest: #122
Airports
Railway Length
301 km#122
Energy1 statsBest: #164
Electric Generating Capacity
285.0K kW#164
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Eswatini
#134 in Population Density
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Top 54% globally
71.54 /km²
Frequently Asked Questions about Eswatini
What is the population of Eswatini?
Eswatini has a population of 1.14M, ranking #159 globally by population.
What continent is Eswatini in?
Eswatini is located in Africa. It has an area of 17,364 km².
What is the life expectancy in Eswatini?
Life expectancy in Eswatini is 64.1 years, ranking #190 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Eswatini?
Eswatini's GDP per capita (PPP) is $11,799.2, ranking #130 globally.
What is Eswatini known for in global statistics?
Eswatini ranks particularly high in Population Density (#134), GDP Per Capita (#129), Human Development Index (#127).
What is Eswatini's Human Development Index?
Eswatini has an HDI of 0.695, ranking #127 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Eswatini?
Eswatini has a population density of 71.5 people per km², ranking #134 globally.