Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini
Eswatini: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 54.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
54.3%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
3rd
of 187 countries
All-time high
58.6%
in 2020
All-time low
41.0%
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Eswatini recorded 54.3% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini peaked at 58.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 41.0%, in 1991.
Eswatini ranks 3rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 41.0% | — |
| 1992 | 42.0% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 43.6% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 43.1% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 42.6% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 43.3% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 44.2% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 45.8% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 47.3% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 50.3% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 51.6% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 52.7% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 53.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 54.7% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 55.6% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 56.8% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 56.2% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 55.6% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 54.5% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 53.2% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 51.7% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 50.5% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 49.3% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 48.4% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 47.0% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 49.9% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 58.6% | +14.5% |
| 2021 | 56.7% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 58.5% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 54.2% | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 54.3% | -0.1% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 54.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 5.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 54.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 6.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.7% | 41.0% | 47.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 53.6% | 48.8% | 56.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.4% | 47.0% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.1% | 54.2% | 58.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 1 Djibouti 76.8% compare
- 2 South Africa 59.9% compare
- 4 Libya 50.1% compare
- 5 Botswana 46.0% compare
- 6 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 41.9% 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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Eswatini was 54.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 58.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.0% in 1991.
- How does Eswatini rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Eswatini ranks 3rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.