Air passengers in Eswatini

Eswatini: Air passengers was 34,663 in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
34,663
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
161st
of 183 countries
All-time high
89,791
in 2000
All-time low
10,647
in 2020
Years of data
34
1973–2023

Air passengers in Eswatini, 1973–2023

20.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k1973199820231973: 14.0k1974: 14.0k1975: 14.0k1976: 14.0k1977: 15.0k1978: 15.5k1979: 30.0k1980: 31.0k1981: 28.8k1982: 24.4k1983: 29.0k1984: 34.3k1985: 39.4k1986: 45.0k1987: 45.7k1988: 47.0k1989: 50.7k1990: 52.9k1991: 59.3k1992: 57.2k1993: 58.4k1994: 64.8k1995: 49.3k1996: 54.3k1997: 40.7k1998: 40.5k1999: 83.0k2000: 89.8k2018: 51.6k2019: 52.7k2020: 10.6k2021: 13.3k2022: 36.2k2023: 34.7k

Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for air passengers in Eswatini is 34,663, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, air passengers in Eswatini peaked at 89,791 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10,647, in 2020.

Eswatini ranks 161st of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Air passengers in Eswatini, year by year

Annual values for Air passengers in Eswatini, 1973 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1973 14,000
1974 14,000 +0.0%
1975 14,000 +0.0%
1976 14,000 +0.0%
1977 15,000 +7.1%
1978 15,500 +3.3%
1979 30,000 +93.5%
1980 31,000 +3.3%
1981 28,800 -7.1%
1982 24,400 -15.3%
1983 29,000 +18.9%
1984 34,300 +18.3%
1985 39,400 +14.9%
1986 45,000 +14.2%
1987 45,700 +1.6%
1988 47,000 +2.8%
1989 50,700 +7.9%
1990 52,900 +4.3%
1991 59,300 +12.1%
1992 57,200 -3.5%
1993 58,400 +2.1%
1994 64,800 +11.0%
1995 49,300 -23.9%
1996 54,300 +10.1%
1997 40,700 -25.0%
1998 40,500 -0.5%
1999 83,000 +104.9%
2000 89,791 +8.2%
2018 51,633 -42.5%
2019 52,744 +2.2%
2020 10,647 -79.8%
2021 13,338 +25.3%
2022 36,157 +171.1%
2023 34,663 -4.1%

Eswatini compared with similar countries

  • Eswatini's 34,663 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 690,677, 5% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Eswatini's 34,663 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 109,542, 32% of the median. (47 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Air passengers in Eswatini changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2022 +171.1% 13,338 36,157
1999 +104.9% 40,500 83,000
1979 +93.5% 15,500 30,000
2020 -79.8% 52,744 10,647

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 16,643 14,000 30,000 7
1980s 37,530 24,400 50,700 10
1990s 56,040 40,500 83,000 10
2000s 89,791 89,791 89,791 1
2010s 52,188 51,633 52,744 2
2020s 23,701 10,647 36,157 4

Countries ranked near Eswatini

  1. 158 Nauru 39,104 compare
  2. 159 Sao Tome and Principe 38,767 compare
  3. 160 Antigua and Barbuda 35,515 compare
  4. 162 Somalia 34,066 compare
  5. 163 Liberia 32,000 compare
  6. 164 Marshall Islands 29,502 compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More reference data data for Eswatini

All data for Eswatini →

Frequently asked questions

What is air passengers in Eswatini?
Air passengers in Eswatini was 34,663 in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest air passengers recorded in Eswatini?
The highest recorded value was 89,791 in 2000.
What is the lowest air passengers recorded in Eswatini?
The lowest recorded value was 10,647 in 2020.
How does Eswatini rank for air passengers?
Eswatini ranks 161st out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
Is air passengers rising or falling in Eswatini?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Eswatini data come from?
The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Air passengers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Air passengers in Eswatini. Statizoid, drawing on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/air-passengers-carried/eswatini/

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About this data

Indicator
Air passengers
Source
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
183 places, 7,925 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Domestic and international passengers of airlines registered in the country. Passengers counted each time they travel.