Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Eswatini

Eswatini: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 34.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
34.3%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
1st
of 185 countries
All-time high
34.3%
in 2023
All-time low
21.7%
in 1995
Years of data
6
1995–2023

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Eswatini, 1995–2023

01020301995200920231995: 21.7 %1997: 22.5 %2007: 28.2 %2016: 22.7 %2021: 33.8 %2023: 34.3 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Eswatini recorded 34.3% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2023. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 50.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Eswatini peaked at 34.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 21.7%, in 1995.

Eswatini ranks 1st of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 22.1% 21.7% 22.5% 2
2000s 28.2% 28.2% 28.2% 1
2010s 22.7% 22.7% 22.7% 1
2020s 34.0% 33.8% 34.3% 2

Countries ranked near Eswatini

  1. 2 South Africa 32.3% compare
  2. 3 Palestine 28.7% compare
  3. 4 Botswana 24.4% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Eswatini

All data for Eswatini →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Eswatini?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Eswatini was 34.3% in 2023, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Eswatini?
The highest recorded value was 34.3% in 2023.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Eswatini?
The lowest recorded value was 21.7% in 1995.
How does Eswatini rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Eswatini ranks 1st out of 185 countries with data for 2023.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Eswatini?
Over the last ten years it is up 50.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Eswatini data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.