Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 23.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini is 23.5%, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini peaked at 30.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 1950.
That places Eswatini 226th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.4% | — |
| 1955 | 11.4% | +9.2% |
| 1960 | 12.3% | +8.5% |
| 1965 | 13.3% | +8.3% |
| 1970 | 14.6% | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 16.0% | +9.8% |
| 1980 | 17.7% | +10.7% |
| 1985 | 21.8% | +23.2% |
| 1990 | 24.4% | +12.0% |
| 1995 | 28.7% | +17.3% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | -5.5% |
| 2010 | 28.6% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 26.8% | -6.4% |
| 2020 | 23.5% | -12.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 12.8% | 12.3% | 13.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 15.3% | 14.6% | 16.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 19.8% | 17.7% | 21.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 26.5% | 24.4% | 28.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 29.6% | 28.8% | 30.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 26.8% | 28.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 23.5% | 23.5% | 23.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 223 Bhutan 30.5% compare
- 224 Vanuatu 30.0% compare
- 225 Micronesia, Federated States of 29.4% compare
- 227 Solomon Islands 21.9% compare
- 228 Anguilla 0.0%
- 228 Cook Islands 0.0% compare
- 228 Falkland Islands, Malvinas 0.0%
- 228 Montserrat 0.0% compare
- 228 Niue 0.0%
- 228 Saint Helena 0.0%
- 228 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.0% compare
- 228 Tokelau 0.0%
- 228 Wallis and Futuna 0.0%
More reference data data for Eswatini
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0203 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3059 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3309 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0048 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3309 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0679 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0557 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.026 (2050)
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 23.5% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major 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 30.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 1950.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Eswatini ranks 226th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major 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
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.