What is the population of Eswatini in 2026?
Eswatini has a population of 1,256,174 people (2025 estimate), which is 159th in the world and about 0.02% of the global total.
Officially Kingdom of Eswatini
Population 2025
1,256,174
0.02% of world population
World Bank, 2025Annual Growth
+1.07%
+13,429 people a year
World Bank, 2025Density
72/km²
17,200 km² land area
World Bank, 2023Median Age
22.5 years
Life expectancy 64.3 years
Our World in Data, 2025About Eswatini
With a population of 1,256,174, Eswatini ranks 157th globally and spans 17,200 km² across southern Africa, bordered by Mozambique and South Africa. The country's median age of 22.5 years reflects a young population, though life expectancy stands at 64.3 years. Urban settlement remains limited at 27%, with the remainder distributed across rural areas at a density of 72 people per km².
Eswatini gained independence in 1968 and operates under an absolute monarchy system of government. The economy generates a GDP per capita of $4,108. English and Swazi are the official languages, and the country uses both the Swazi lilangeni and South African rand as currency. Annual population growth of 1.1% and a fertility rate of 2.7 births per woman indicate modest demographic expansion.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Lobamba
- Continent
- Africa
- ISO codes
- SZ · SWZ
- Demonym
- Swazi
- Currency
- Swazi lilangeni (SZL L), South African rand (ZAR R)
- Government
- Absolute monarchy
- State inception
- 1968
- Time zone
- UTC+02:00
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +268
- Internet TLD
- .sz
- Land neighbours
- 2
Languages
- English
- Swazi
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 33.4%
- Age 15–64
- 62.4%
- Age 65+
- 4.3%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 2 | 7 |
| 95-99 | 26 | 57 |
| 90-94 | 157 | 293 |
| 85-89 | 685 | 1,169 |
| 80-84 | 1,757 | 3,091 |
| 75-79 | 3,442 | 5,862 |
| 70-74 | 6,010 | 8,557 |
| 65-69 | 8,967 | 12,888 |
| 60-64 | 10,978 | 16,056 |
| 55-59 | 15,133 | 20,045 |
| 50-54 | 18,387 | 21,477 |
| 45-49 | 26,874 | 27,607 |
| 40-44 | 36,688 | 37,234 |
| 35-39 | 44,182 | 45,118 |
| 30-34 | 48,913 | 50,184 |
| 25-29 | 54,392 | 53,093 |
| 20-24 | 60,500 | 59,046 |
| 15-19 | 64,665 | 64,769 |
| 10-14 | 67,458 | 67,342 |
| 5-9 | 69,478 | 68,759 |
| 0-4 | 71,496 | 69,975 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 271,655 |
| 1960 | 345,337 |
| 1970 | 441,216 |
| 1980 | 596,644 |
| 1990 | 872,428 |
| 2000 | 1,041,414 |
| 2010 | 1,111,650 |
| 2020 | 1,192,729 |
| 2030 | 1,320,918 |
| 2040 | 1,429,781 |
| 2050 | 1,505,331 |
| 2060 | 1,539,564 |
| 2070 | 1,531,453 |
| 2080 | 1,489,791 |
| 2090 | 1,422,364 |
| 2100 | 1,340,879 |
How Eswatini Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Eswatini | 1.26M |
Countries Bordering Eswatini
2 land borders.
- Mozambique35.6M · +2.85%
- South Africa64.7M · +1.15%
Eswatini Population FAQ
Is the population of Eswatini growing or shrinking?
Eswatini's population is growing at +1.07% per year, a change of roughly 13,429 people annually.
What is the capital of Eswatini?
The capital of Eswatini is Lobamba.
How densely populated is Eswatini?
Eswatini has 72/km² across 17,200 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Eswatini?
Life expectancy at birth in Eswatini is 64.3 years (2024).
What is the median age in Eswatini?
The median age in Eswatini is 22.5 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Eswatini in?
Eswatini is in Africa.