Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 28.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini is 28.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini peaked at 38.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 28.4%, in 2025.
Eswatini ranks 94th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 38.3% | — |
| 1992 | 38.0% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 37.7% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 37.6% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 37.2% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 37.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 36.8% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 36.7% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 36.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 36.5% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 36.4% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 36.2% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 36.2% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 36.0% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 35.5% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 35.2% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 35.0% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 34.8% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 34.6% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 34.5% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 34.3% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 34.1% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 33.9% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 33.7% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 33.6% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 32.9% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 32.2% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 31.4% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 31.1% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 30.1% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 28.7% | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 28.6% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 28.4% | -0.8% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 28.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 59.3%, 48% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 28.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67.6%, 42% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.3% | 36.6% | 38.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 35.8% | 34.8% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 31.4% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.4% | 28.4% | 31.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 91 Belize 29.8% compare
- 92 Gabon 29.8% compare
- 93 Kyrgyzstan 29.0% compare
- 95 Turkmenistan 28.3% compare
- 96 Tajikistan 28.0% compare
- 97 Iraq 27.1% 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Eswatini was 28.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 38.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.4% in 2025.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Eswatini ranks 94th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).