Population in Eswatini
Eswatini: Population was 1.23 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.23 million people
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
159th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.23 million people
in 2023
All-time low
271,670 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Eswatini, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Eswatini is 1.23 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Eswatini peaked at 1.23 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 271,670 people, in 1950.
That places Eswatini 159th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 271,670 people | — |
| 1951 | 278,618 people | +2.6% |
| 1952 | 285,637 people | +2.5% |
| 1953 | 292,742 people | +2.5% |
| 1954 | 299,943 people | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 307,222 people | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 314,620 people | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 322,131 people | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 329,770 people | +2.4% |
| 1959 | 337,521 people | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 345,339 people | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 353,265 people | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 361,376 people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 369,768 people | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 378,660 people | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 388,342 people | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 398,773 people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 409,044 people | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 419,154 people | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 429,884 people | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 441,223 people | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 453,192 people | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 465,791 people | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 479,043 people | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 493,004 people | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 507,675 people | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 523,339 people | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 540,353 people | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 558,446 people | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 577,208 people | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 596,657 people | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 616,816 people | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 637,656 people | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 658,958 people | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 680,790 people | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 706,204 people | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 734,736 people | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 763,812 people | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 799,806 people | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 837,810 people | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 872,436 people | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 908,193 people | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 943,426 people | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 971,327 people | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 971,221 people | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 970,439 people | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 989,847 people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.01 million people | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.02 million people | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.03 million people | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 1.04 million people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 1.05 million people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 1.06 million people | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 1.07 million people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 1.07 million people | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 1.08 million people | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.08 million people | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 1.09 million people | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.10 million people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.11 million people | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.11 million people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 1.12 million people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.12 million people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 1.13 million people | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 1.14 million people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.14 million people | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 1.15 million people | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.16 million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 1.17 million people | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 1.18 million people | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.19 million people | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 1.21 million people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.22 million people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 1.23 million people | +1.0% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 1.23 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 10% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 1.23 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 9% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 303,987 people | 271,670 people | 337,521 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 385,360 people | 345,339 people | 429,884 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 503,927 people | 441,223 people | 577,208 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 703,324 people | 596,657 people | 837,810 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 968,398 people | 872,436 people | 1.03 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.07 million people | 1.04 million people | 1.11 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.14 million people | 1.11 million people | 1.18 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.21 million people | 1.19 million people | 1.23 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More population data for Eswatini
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6638 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.312 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6638 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 74,031 people (2100)
- Population density 77.96 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.06 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.7328 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Eswatini?
- Population in Eswatini was 1.23 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 1.23 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 271,670 people in 1950.
- How does Eswatini rank for population?
- Eswatini ranks 159th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.