Unemployment rate in Eswatini
Eswatini: Unemployment rate was 34.2 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
34.2
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
1st
of 186 countries
All-time high
36.47
in 2022
All-time low
20.52
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Eswatini, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Eswatini is 34.2, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Eswatini peaked at 36.47 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.52, in 1991.
Eswatini ranks 1st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 20.52 | — |
| 1992 | 20.95 | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 21.76 | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 21.73 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 21.65 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 22.07 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 22.5 | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 23.21 | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 23.87 | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 24.55 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 25.24 | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 25.77 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 26.26 | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 26.72 | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 27.22 | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 27.69 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 28.24 | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 27.89 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 27.49 | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 26.86 | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 26.11 | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 25.23 | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 24.56 | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 23.93 | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 23.43 | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 22.72 | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 24.54 | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 26.47 | +7.9% |
| 2019 | 28.22 | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 32.98 | +16.9% |
| 2021 | 34.15 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 36.47 | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 34.61 | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 34.64 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 34.2 | -1.3% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 34.2 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.06, 6.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 34.2 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.45, 6.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.03 | 20.52 | 23.87 | 9 |
| 2000s | 26.71 | 24.55 | 28.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.21 | 22.72 | 28.22 | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.51 | 32.98 | 36.47 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
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 unemployment rate in Eswatini?
- Unemployment rate in Eswatini was 34.2 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 36.47 in 2022.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.52 in 1991.
- How does Eswatini rank for unemployment rate?
- Eswatini ranks 1st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.0%. 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 Unemployment rate. 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).