Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Eswatini

Rural population share in Eswatini in 2025 — 73.3%. Ranked 17 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 22.7 pp.

2025 73.3% −0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank 17of 217
Period maximum 95.9%1960
Period minimum 73.3%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Eswatini, 1960–202570809010019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 95.9%1962: 95%1964: 94%1966: 92.8%1968: 91.5%1970: 89.9%1972: 88.2%1974: 86.5%1976: 84.9%1978: 83.2%1980: 81.2%1982: 79.4%1984: 77.9%1986: 77.3%1988: 77.1%1990: 77.1%1992: 77%1994: 77%1996: 76.9%1998: 77%2000: 77.2%2002: 77.4%2004: 77.7%2006: 77.8%2008: 77.8%2010: 77.7%2012: 77.4%2014: 77%2016: 76.5%2018: 75.9%2020: 75.3%2022: 74.6%2024: 73.8%2025: 73.3%
Change over the period: −22.7 pp Annual average: -0.35 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Eswatini

Eswatini 73.3%
World 42.2%
Southern Africa computed 37.8%
Rural population share — Eswatini, by year Eswatini All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 73.3 −0.5 pp
2024 73.8 −0.4 pp
2023 74.2 −0.4 pp
2022 74.6 −0.4 pp
2021 75 −0.4 pp
2020 75.3 −0.3 pp
2019 75.7 −0.3 pp
2018 75.9 −0.3 pp
2017 76.2 −0.3 pp
2016 76.5 −0.3 pp
2015 76.7 −0.2 pp
2014 77 −0.2 pp
2013 77.2 −0.2 pp
2012 77.4 −0.2 pp
2011 77.5 −0.1 pp
2010 77.7 −0.1 pp
2009 77.8 −0.1 pp
2008 77.8 −0 pp
2007 77.9 +0 pp
2006 77.8 +0.1 pp
2005 77.8 +0.1 pp
2004 77.7 +0.1 pp
2003 77.6 +0.1 pp
2002 77.4 +0.1 pp
2001 77.3 +0.1 pp
2000 77.2 +0.1 pp
1999 77 +0.1 pp
1998 77 +0 pp
1997 76.9 −0 pp
1996 76.9 −0 pp
1995 76.9 −0 pp
1994 77 −0 pp
1993 77 −0 pp
1992 77 −0 pp
1991 77 −0 pp
1990 77.1 −0 pp
1989 77.1 −0 pp
1988 77.1 −0 pp
1987 77.2 −0.1 pp
1986 77.3 −0.2 pp
1985 77.5 −0.5 pp
1984 77.9 −0.6 pp
1983 78.6 −0.8 pp
1982 79.4 −0.9 pp
1981 80.3 −1 pp
1980 81.2 −1 pp
1979 82.2 −1 pp
1978 83.2 −0.9 pp
1977 84.1 −0.8 pp
1976 84.9 −0.8 pp
1975 85.7 −0.8 pp
1974 86.5 −0.9 pp
1973 87.4 −0.9 pp
1972 88.2 −0.9 pp
1971 89.1 −0.8 pp
1970 89.9 −0.8 pp
1969 90.8 −0.8 pp
1968 91.5 −0.7 pp
1967 92.2 −0.6 pp
1966 92.8 −0.6 pp
1965 93.4 −0.6 pp
1964 94 −0.5 pp
1963 94.5 −0.5 pp
1962 95 −0.5 pp
1961 95.5 −0.5 pp
1960 95.9

Southern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.