Labor force participation rate in Eswatini
Eswatini: Labor force participation rate was 51.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Eswatini, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Eswatini is 51.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Eswatini peaked at 54.4% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 49.5%, in 2020.
That places Eswatini 157th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.1% | 53.5% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.6% | 52.0% | 53.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.2% | 50.2% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.5% | 49.5% | 51.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More work & labour data for Eswatini
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 51.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 54.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 89.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 48.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 53.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 56.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Eswatini?
- Labor force participation rate in Eswatini was 51.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.5% in 2020.
- How does Eswatini rank for labor force participation rate?
- Eswatini ranks 157th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).