Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 26.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini stood at 26.7%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini peaked at 26.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1950.
Eswatini ranks 217th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.3% | 1.3% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.4% | 4.1% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.9% | 10.1% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.6% | 18.8% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.0% | 22.9% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 22.1% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.2% | 22.3% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.6% | 24.7% | 26.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 214 Burkina Faso 28.9% compare
- 215 East Timor 28.8% compare
- 216 Chad 27.6% compare
- 218 Guyana 26.5% compare
- 219 Tajikistan 26.2% compare
- 220 Afghanistan 25.9% compare
More population data for Eswatini
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 77.96 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 74,031 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.72 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.72 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 1,295 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.72 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.75 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.53 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini was 26.7% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1950.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Eswatini ranks 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.