Female labor force participation rates in Eswatini
Eswatini: Female labor force participation rates was 48.52 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
48.52
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
122nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
48.52
in 2025
All-time low
43.26
in 1995
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Eswatini, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rates in Eswatini stood at 48.52. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Eswatini peaked at 48.52 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 43.26, in 1995.
Eswatini ranks 122nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43.27 | — |
| 1991 | 43.39 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 43.51 | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 43.57 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 43.38 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 43.26 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 43.4 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 43.6 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 43.87 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 44.15 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 44.42 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 44.67 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 44.89 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 45.08 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 45.24 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 45.38 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 45.49 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 45.63 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 45.8 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 45.98 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 46.14 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 46.29 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 46.41 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 46.53 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 46.67 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 46.82 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 46.97 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 47.02 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 47.08 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 47.16 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 46.45 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 46.9 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 47.23 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 48.24 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 48.42 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 48.52 | +0.2% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 48.52 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.67, 98% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 48.52 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.3, 85% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.54 | 43.26 | 44.15 | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.26 | 44.42 | 45.98 | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.71 | 46.14 | 47.16 | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.63 | 46.45 | 48.52 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 119 South Africa 49.88 compare
- 120 Belgium 49.78 compare
- 121 El Salvador 49.05 compare
- 123 Lesotho 48.09 compare
- 124 Trinidad and Tobago 47.77 compare
- 125 Ukraine 47.74 compare
More work & labour data for Eswatini
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.6638 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6722 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.286 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 703.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,378 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 685.51 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 655.37 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,341 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates in Eswatini?
- Female labor force participation rates in Eswatini was 48.52 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 48.52 in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.26 in 1995.
- How does Eswatini rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Eswatini ranks 122nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).