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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income

Eswatini: the labour market

Labour force is 430,869 (2025), 159th of 187 in the world and 44th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 51.2% (2025), 158th of 187 in the world and 41st of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 48.5% (2025), 123rd of 187 in the world and 35th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force430,8692025 · world 159/187 · region 44/47Participation rate51.2%2025 · world 158/187 · region 41/47Women's participation48.5%2025 · world 123/187 · region 35/47Employment rate33.7%2025 · world 180/187 · region 45/47
Labour force
Eswatini
250,000300,000350,000400,000450,0001995200020052010201520202025Eswatini430,869
Participation rate
EswatiniSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Eswatini51.2%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Eswatini in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total430,8692025159/18744/47312,687352,683385,559+16%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+51.2%2025158/18741/4753.2%51.8%49.5%−0.1 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+48.5%2025123/18735/4744.4%46.1%46.5%+1.7 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)33.7%2025180/18745/4740.2%37.9%33.2%−5.6 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)34.2%20251/1871/4724.5%26.9%33.0%+10.8 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)36.0%20252/1871/4727.9%29.5%34.4%+10.7 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)54.3%20253/1872/4748.8%54.5%58.6%+6.0 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %36.5%202318/17010/44··34.4%2021——21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment69.8%202587/1875/4761.1%63.0%66.9%+5.8 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)28.4%202594/18743/4736.5%34.6%31.1%−5.4 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment14.5%202593/18743/4715.9%14.3%13.4%+1.1 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment26.7%202530/1872/4725.5%25.5%19.0%+2.0 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment58.7%202596/1877/4758.5%60.1%67.6%−3.1 ppsince 201538.5%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Eswatini and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Eswatini. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorEswatiniSouth AfricaMozambique
Labour force430,869202526.7m202515.7m2025
Participation rate51.2%202555.6%202578.7%2025
Women's participation48.5%202549.9%202577.1%2025
Employment rate33.7%202537.6%202573.5%2025
Unemployment34.2%202532.4%20256.6%2025
Female unemployment36.0%202534.0%20257.2%2025
Youth unemployment54.3%202559.9%202511.6%2025
Youth NEET rate36.5%202334.6%202419.2%2022
Wage workers69.8%202582.7%202514.7%2025
South Africa: labourMozambique: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesEswatini: all key statisticscountry profile