Eswatini vs South Africa

Eswatini and South Africa compared on 152 measures that both have. Each pair of values is for the same period, the latest one with data for both countries, so the year can differ from one row to the next.

Where Eswatini and South Africa differ most

  • Fossil electricity share, 2024: Eswatini 2.5%, South Africa 86.2% (35.0 times as high)
  • CO2 emissions per person, 2024: Eswatini 0.88 t CO2 per person, South Africa 6.88 t CO2 per person (7.8 times as high)
  • Dentists, 2024: Eswatini 0.17 per 10,000 people, South Africa 1.07 per 10,000 people (6.3 times as high)
  • Medium and high-tech manufacturing, 2024: Eswatini 2.2%, South Africa 12.9% (5.8 times as high)
  • Cereal yield, 2024: Eswatini 1,083 kg per hectare, South Africa 4,562 kg per hectare (4.2 times as high)

Measures where one value is the largest multiple of the other, among measures with positive values. Totals such as population, index values and growth rates are left out, because their size says little about the difference.

Population and ageing

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Population estimates and projections
people
1,230,506 people 63,212,384 people −98.1% 2023 UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
years
22.0 years 28.2 years −22.0% 2023 UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
live births per woman
2.75 births per woman 2.22 births per woman +24.2% 2023 UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
% per year
0.94% 1.32% −0.37 percentage points 2023 UN Population Division
Population
people
1,256,174 people 64,747,319 people −98.1% 2025 World Bank
Population growth
annual % change
1.07% 1.15% −0.08 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 65 and over
% of total population
4.3% 6.9% −2.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 0 to 14
% of total population
33.0% 25.7% +7.3 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Fertility rate
births per woman
2.72 births per woman 2.21 births per woman +23.3% 2024 World Bank
Crude birth rate
births per 1,000 people
23.6 per 1,000 people 18.5 per 1,000 people +5.2 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Crude death rate
deaths per 1,000 people
7.7 per 1,000 people 9.2 per 1,000 people −1.5 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Urban population share
% of total population
26.7% 63.8% −37.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Adolescent birth rate
births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19
68.2 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 51.8 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 +16.3 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 2024 World Bank
Age dependency ratio
dependants per 100 people aged 15 to 64
59.6 per 100 working-age people 48.4 per 100 working-age people +11.2 per 100 working-age people 2025 World Bank
Population density
people per square kilometre of land
72.3 people per km² 52.8 people per km² +36.9% 2024 World Bank
Urban population growth
annual % change
2.85% 1.34% +1.51 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Migration and citizenship

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Net migration estimates and projections
per 1,000 people
-6.9 per 1,000 people 3.6 per 1,000 people −10.6 per 1,000 people 2023 UN Population Division
Net migration
people
-5,775 people 146,370 people −152,145 people 2025 World Bank
International migrant stock
% of population
2.7% 4.1% −1.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Personal remittances received
% of GDP
0.7% 0.2% +0.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Employment and occupations

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over
34.2% 32.4% +1.8 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
% of the labour force aged 15 to 24
54.3% 59.9% −5.6 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Labour force participation
% of working-age population aged 15 and over
51.2% 55.6% −4.4 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Women's labour force participation
% of women aged 15 and over
48.5% 49.9% −1.4 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
% of population aged 15 and over
33.7% 37.6% −3.9 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment in agriculture
% of total employment
14.5% 5.4% +9.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in industry
% of total employment
26.7% 20.8% +6.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in services
% of total employment
58.7% 73.8% −15.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Economy and productivity

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
GDP in US dollars
current US dollars
US$5.2 billion US$427.2 billion −98.8% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita in US dollars
current US dollars per person
US$4,108 per person US$6,598 per person −37.7% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita, PPP
constant 2021 international dollars per person
Int$10,707 per person Int$13,592 per person −21.2% 2025 World Bank
GNI per capita, Atlas method
current US dollars per person
US$3,730 per person US$6,270 per person −40.5% 2025 World Bank
Real GDP growth
annual % change
4.2% 1.1% +3.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Services share of GDP
% of GDP
52.4% 63.1% −10.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Investment share of GDP
% of GDP
15.0% 14.1% +0.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Savings share of GDP
% of GDP
18.2% 13.6% +4.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Household consumption per person
constant 2015 US dollars per person
US$2,280 per person US$3,816 per person −40.3% 2024 World Bank

Prices and purchasing power

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Consumer price inflation
annual % change
2.6% 4.1% −1.5 percentage points 2019 World Bank
Consumer price index
index, 2010 = 100
166.8 (2010 = 100) 158.9 (2010 = 100) +7.9 points 2019 World Bank
Inflation measured by the GDP deflator
annual % change
-0.4% 2.8% −3.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Exchange rate to the US dollar
local currency units per US dollar, annual average
17.889 per US$ 17.889 per US$ 0% 2025 World Bank

Housing and households

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Slum population
% of urban population
17.0% 24.2% −7.2 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Education and skills

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
% of youth aged 15 to 24
36.7% 34.7% +2.0 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
% of children 3 to 5 years above the final primary grade age
79.7% 97.5% −17.8 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
57.8% 92.5% −34.8 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
36.6% 57.7% −21.1 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
% of children of primary school age
3.8% 5.8% −2.0 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school adolescents
% of adolescents of lower secondary school age
7.3% 3.3% +4.0 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school youth
% of youth of upper secondary school age
24.3% 0.8% +23.5 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Primary net enrolment
% of children of primary school age
96.2% 94.2% +2.0 percentage points 2022 UNESCO UIS
Qualified primary teachers
% of primary teachers
90.6% 77.9%uis_est (UIS estimate) +12.7 percentage points 2002 UNESCO UIS
Education share of public spending
% of total government expenditure
19.2% 19.1% +0.1 percentage points 2025 UNESCO UIS
Education spending
% of GDP
6.0% 6.0% 0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Primary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official primary school-age population
116.5% 101.8% +14.8 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Tertiary education enrolment (gross)
% of the population in the five years after secondary school age
6.4% 18.6% −12.2 percentage points 2013 World Bank
Primary school completion rate
% of the relevant age group
93.6% 95.3% −1.7 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Secondary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official secondary school-age population
82.0% 103.9% −21.8 percentage points 2016 World Bank

Health and healthcare

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Life expectancy estimates and projections
years
64.1 years 66.1 years −3.0% 2023 UN Population Division
Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections
years
14.2 years 15.0 years −4.8% 2023 UN Population Division
Healthy life expectancy
years
51.1 years 56.2 years −9.1% 2023 WHO
UHC service coverage
index from 0 to 100
72 74 −2 points 2023 WHO
Alcohol consumption
litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15+
5.45 litres 7.40 litres −26.4% 2024 WHO
Adult obesity
% of adults aged 18+
29.6% 31.8% −2.2 percentage points 2024 WHO
Hypertension
% of adults aged 30 to 79
42.5% 44.1% −1.6 percentage points 2019 WHO
Suicide rate
deaths per 100,000 people
23.0 per 100,000 people 16.2 per 100,000 people +6.8 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Premature NCD mortality
% probability
29.3% 24.9% +4.4 percentage points 2023 WHO
Physical inactivity
% of adults aged 18+
17.3% 43.6% −26.3 percentage points 2022 WHO
DTP3 immunisation
% of one-year-olds
84% 65% +19.0 percentage points 2025 WHO
Anaemia in women
% of women aged 15 to 49
28.3% 31.2% −2.9 percentage points 2023 WHO
Poisoning deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
3.0 per 100,000 people 1.8 per 100,000 people +1.2 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Nurses and midwives
per 10,000 people
42.6 per 10,000 people 42.5 per 10,000 people +0.1 per 10,000 people 2023 WHO
Dentists
per 10,000 people
0.17 per 10,000 people 1.07 per 10,000 people −0.90 per 10,000 people 2024 WHO
Life expectancy at birth
years
64.3 years 66.3 years −3.1% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, women
years
67.1 years 69.8 years −3.8% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, men
years
61.3 years 62.8 years −2.3% 2024 World Bank
Health spending share of GDP
% of GDP
7.5% 8.9% −1.4 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Under-five mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
45.1 per 1,000 live births 35.1 per 1,000 live births +10.0 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Infant mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
42.2 per 1,000 live births 24.2 per 1,000 live births +18.0 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Maternal mortality ratio
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
118 per 100,000 live births 118 per 100,000 live births same 2023 World Bank
Physicians
physicians per 1,000 people
0.56 per 1,000 people 0.79 per 1,000 people −0.23 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Measles immunisation
% of children aged 12 to 23 months
85% 76% +9.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Tobacco use
% of adults aged 15 and over
11.5% 23.7% −12.2 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending
% of current health expenditure
11.0% 6.7% +4.3 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Health spending per person
current US dollars per person
US$296 per person US$537 per person −44.8% 2023 World Bank
Diabetes prevalence
% of population aged 20 to 79
7.9% 7.2% +0.7 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Neonatal mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
25.0 per 1,000 live births 12.4 per 1,000 live births +12.6 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Child stunting
% of children under 5
40.4% 25.0% +15.4 percentage points 2008 World Bank
Malaria incidence
new cases per 1,000 people at risk
0.6 per 1,000 at risk 0.1 per 1,000 at risk +0.4 per 1,000 at risk 2024 World Bank
Tuberculosis incidence
new cases per 100,000 people
319 per 100,000 people 389 per 100,000 people −70 per 100,000 people 2024 World Bank
HIV incidence
new infections per 1,000 uninfected people aged 15 to 49
7.50 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 5.20 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 +2.30 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 49 2024 World Bank

Internet and digital society

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Internet users
% of population
63.4% 78.4% −15.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Mobile subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
140 per 100 people 179 per 100 people −40 per 100 people 2024 World Bank
Fixed broadband subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
2.5 per 100 people 5.3 per 100 people −2.8 per 100 people 2024 World Bank

Business and industry

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Industry share of GDP
% of GDP
33.6% 24.1% +9.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
New businesses registered
new limited liability companies
3,405 companies 494,475 companies −99.3% 2024 World Bank
Medium and high-tech manufacturing
% of manufacturing value added
2.2% 12.9% −10.7 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Manufacturing share of GDP
% of GDP
28.1% 12.3% +15.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Trade and investment

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Exports share of GDP
% of GDP
53.8% 31.8% +22.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Imports share of GDP
% of GDP
53.7% 29.9% +23.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Trade as a share of GDP
% of GDP
107.5% 61.6% +45.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Foreign direct investment inflows
% of GDP
1.0% -0.5% +1.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Current account balance
% of GDP
2.4% -0.4% +2.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
High-technology exports
% of manufactured exports
0.3% 5.0% −4.7 percentage points 2023 World Bank

Transport and mobility

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Road traffic deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
33.5 per 100,000 people 22.2 per 100,000 people +11.3 per 100,000 people 2019 World Bank
Air passengers carried
passengers
34,663 passengers 15,454,596 passengers −99.8% 2023 World Bank

Energy and electricity

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Access to electricity
% of population
89.3% 90.2% −0.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Clean cooking access
% of population
56.0% 90.0% −34.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Renewable energy share
% of total final energy consumption
65.4% 9.7% +55.7 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Fossil electricity share
% of total electricity production
2.5% 86.2% −83.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Net energy imports
% of energy use
17.3% -13.6% +30.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Climate and emissions

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Temperature change
°C difference from the 1951 to 1980 average
1.03 °Ce (Estimated value) 1.05 °Ce (Estimated value) −0.02 °C 2025 FAOSTAT
Agrifood emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
2.23 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) 1.43 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) +55.9% 2024 FAOSTAT
Total greenhouse gas emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
2.9 Mt CO2e 569.8 Mt CO2e −99.5% 2024 World Bank
Greenhouse gas emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
2.4 t CO2e per person 8.9 t CO2e per person −73.5% 2024 World Bank
CO2 emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 per person
0.88 t CO2 per person 6.88 t CO2 per person −87.2% 2024 World Bank
Methane emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
1.4 Mt CO2e 93.2 Mt CO2e −98.5% 2024 World Bank
Nitrous oxide emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
0.46 Mt CO2e 19.05 Mt CO2e −97.6% 2024 World Bank

Air quality and ecosystems

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
PM2.5 air pollution
micrograms per cubic metre
14.6 µg/m³ 18.3 µg/m³ −19.8% 2023 WHO
Forest area
% of land area
25.3% 18.8% +6.5 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Protected areas
% of total territorial area
4.2% 12.9% −8.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
PM2.5 air pollution exposure
micrograms per cubic metre
16.7 µg/m³ 27.7 µg/m³ −39.6% 2023 World Bank
Terrestrial protected areas
% of land area
4.2% 9.6% −5.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Water, sanitation and waste

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Basic drinking water access
% of population
80.4% 90.2% −9.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Safely managed drinking water
% of population
38.2% 68.0% −29.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Basic sanitation access
% of population
64.5% 77.4% −12.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Level of water stress
% of available freshwater resources
77.6% 67.6% +10.0 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Renewable internal freshwater per person
cubic metres per person
2,166 m³ per person 718 m³ per person +201.6% 2022 World Bank
Safely managed sanitation
% of population
60.8% 73.8% −12.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Agriculture, food and fisheries

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Cost of a healthy diet
international dollars (PPP) per person per day
Int$4.95 per person per daye (Estimated value) Int$4.02 per person per daye (Estimated value) +23.1% 2025 FAOSTAT
Healthy diet unaffordable
% of the population
68.1%e (Estimated value) 57.9%e (Estimated value) +10.2 percentage points 2025 FAOSTAT
Pesticide use
kg of active ingredients per hectare of cropland
6.15 kg/hae (Estimated value) 3.28 kg/hae (Estimated value) +87.5% 2024 FAOSTAT
Nitrogen fertiliser use
kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare of cropland
29.6 kg/hae (Estimated value) 46.4 kg/hae (Estimated value) −36.2% 2024 FAOSTAT
Agriculture share of GDP
% of GDP
6.4% 2.8% +3.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Cereal yield
kilograms per hectare
1,083 kg per hectare 4,562 kg per hectare −76.3% 2024 World Bank
Agricultural land
% of land area
69.6% 79.4% −9.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Capture fisheries production
metric tonnes
65 tonnes 521,938 tonnes −100.0% 2024 World Bank
Prevalence of undernourishment
% of population
15.1% 11.2% +3.9 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Food production index
index, 2014 to 2016 = 100
110.8 (2014-16 = 100) 110.4 (2014-16 = 100) +0.4% 2024 World Bank
Fertiliser use
kilograms per hectare of arable land
74.6 kg per hectare 120.3 kg per hectare −38.0% 2024 World Bank
Land area
square kilometres
17,200 km² 1,213,090 km² −98.6% 2024 World Bank

Poverty and social protection

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Gini index
Gini index, 0 to 100
53.1 (0 to 100) 57.8 (0 to 100) −4.7 points 2000 World Bank
Income share held by the richest 10%
% of total income or consumption
44.1% 44.9% −0.8 percentage points 2000 World Bank
Extreme poverty rate
% of population
65.0% 47.9% +17.1 percentage points 2000 World Bank
Poverty rate at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
76.7% 59.3% +17.4 percentage points 2000 World Bank
Poverty rate at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
90.4% 78.5% +11.9 percentage points 2000 World Bank

Government finance and taxation

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Tax revenue
% of GDP
24.3% 26.0% −1.6 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Central government expense
% of GDP
24.6% 34.6% −10.0 percentage points 2021 World Bank

Science and innovation

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
R&D spending share of GDP
% of GDP
0.28% 0.73% −0.45 percentage points 2015 World Bank
Researchers per million people
researchers per million people
138 per million people 467 per million people −329 per million people 2015 World Bank
Scientific and technical journal articles
articles, fractional count
31 articles 14,949 articles −99.8% 2023 World Bank

Crime, justice and public safety

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Intentional homicides
victims per 100,000 people
12.5 per 100,000 people 40.9 per 100,000 people −28.4 per 100,000 people 2021 World Bank

Culture, society and wellbeing

MeasureEswatiniSouth AfricaEswatini compared with South AfricaPeriodSource
Women in national parliament
% of seats in the single or lower chamber
21.6% 44.9% −23.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank

The difference column shows Eswatini compared with South Africa: in percentage points for percentages, in the same unit for rates per population and index values, and in percent for other measures.

Open a measure to see both countries on a chart. All statistics for Eswatini · All statistics for South Africa · Other pairs