Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 26.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
26.7%
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
217th
of 236 countries
All-time high
26.7%
in 2025
All-time low
1.3%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Eswatini is 26.7%, measured in 2025. 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 areas vs. gdp per capita 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.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.3% | — |
| 1951 | 1.4% | +11.5% |
| 1952 | 1.6% | +12.6% |
| 1953 | 1.8% | +13.0% |
| 1954 | 2.1% | +12.9% |
| 1955 | 2.3% | +12.4% |
| 1956 | 2.6% | +11.8% |
| 1957 | 2.9% | +12.0% |
| 1958 | 3.2% | +12.1% |
| 1959 | 3.6% | +11.9% |
| 1960 | 4.1% | +11.6% |
| 1961 | 4.5% | +11.2% |
| 1962 | 5.0% | +10.7% |
| 1963 | 5.5% | +10.2% |
| 1964 | 6.0% | +9.7% |
| 1965 | 6.6% | +9.2% |
| 1966 | 7.2% | +8.7% |
| 1967 | 7.8% | +8.8% |
| 1968 | 8.5% | +9.0% |
| 1969 | 9.2% | +9.0% |
| 1970 | 10.1% | +8.7% |
| 1971 | 10.9% | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 11.8% | +7.9% |
| 1973 | 12.6% | +7.4% |
| 1974 | 13.5% | +6.8% |
| 1975 | 14.3% | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 15.1% | +5.6% |
| 1977 | 15.9% | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 16.8% | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 17.8% | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 18.8% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 19.7% | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 21.4% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 22.1% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 22.5% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 22.7% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 22.8% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 22.9% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 22.9% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 22.9% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 23.1% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 23.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 23.1% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 23.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 22.8% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 22.7% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 22.6% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 22.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 22.2% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 22.1% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 22.2% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 22.2% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 22.5% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 22.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 22.8% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 23.0% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 23.3% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 23.5% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 23.8% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 24.1% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 24.3% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 24.7% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 25.0% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 25.8% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 26.2% | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 26.7% | +1.8% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 26.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 53% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 26.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 60% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
- 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Eswatini?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1950.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Eswatini ranks 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. GDP per capita. 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.