Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Eswatini

Urban population share in Eswatini in 2025 — 26.7%. Ranked 201 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 22.7 pp.

2025 26.7% +0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank 201of 217
Period maximum 26.7%2025
Period minimum 4.1%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Eswatini, 1960–2025010203019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 4.1%1962: 5%1964: 6%1966: 7.2%1968: 8.5%1970: 10.1%1972: 11.8%1974: 13.5%1976: 15.1%1978: 16.8%1980: 18.8%1982: 20.6%1984: 22.1%1986: 22.7%1988: 22.9%1990: 22.9%1992: 23%1994: 23%1996: 23.1%1998: 23%2000: 22.8%2002: 22.6%2004: 22.3%2006: 22.2%2008: 22.2%2010: 22.3%2012: 22.6%2014: 23%2016: 23.5%2018: 24.1%2020: 24.7%2022: 25.4%2024: 26.2%2025: 26.7%
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 26.7%
World 57.8%
Southern Africa computed 62.2%
Urban population share — Eswatini, by year Eswatini All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 26.7 +0.5 pp
2024 26.2 +0.4 pp
2023 25.8 +0.4 pp
2022 25.4 +0.4 pp
2021 25 +0.4 pp
2020 24.7 +0.3 pp
2019 24.3 +0.3 pp
2018 24.1 +0.3 pp
2017 23.8 +0.3 pp
2016 23.5 +0.3 pp
2015 23.3 +0.2 pp
2014 23 +0.2 pp
2013 22.8 +0.2 pp
2012 22.6 +0.2 pp
2011 22.5 +0.1 pp
2010 22.3 +0.1 pp
2009 22.2 +0.1 pp
2008 22.2 +0 pp
2007 22.1 −0 pp
2006 22.2 −0.1 pp
2005 22.2 −0.1 pp
2004 22.3 −0.1 pp
2003 22.4 −0.1 pp
2002 22.6 −0.1 pp
2001 22.7 −0.1 pp
2000 22.8 −0.1 pp
1999 23 −0.1 pp
1998 23 −0 pp
1997 23.1 +0 pp
1996 23.1 +0 pp
1995 23.1 +0 pp
1994 23 +0 pp
1993 23 +0 pp
1992 23 +0 pp
1991 23 +0 pp
1990 22.9 +0 pp
1989 22.9 +0 pp
1988 22.9 +0 pp
1987 22.8 +0.1 pp
1986 22.7 +0.2 pp
1985 22.5 +0.5 pp
1984 22.1 +0.6 pp
1983 21.4 +0.8 pp
1982 20.6 +0.9 pp
1981 19.7 +1 pp
1980 18.8 +1 pp
1979 17.8 +1 pp
1978 16.8 +0.9 pp
1977 15.9 +0.8 pp
1976 15.1 +0.8 pp
1975 14.3 +0.8 pp
1974 13.5 +0.9 pp
1973 12.6 +0.9 pp
1972 11.8 +0.9 pp
1971 10.9 +0.8 pp
1970 10.1 +0.8 pp
1969 9.2 +0.8 pp
1968 8.5 +0.7 pp
1967 7.8 +0.6 pp
1966 7.2 +0.6 pp
1965 6.6 +0.6 pp
1964 6 +0.5 pp
1963 5.5 +0.5 pp
1962 5 +0.5 pp
1961 4.5 +0.5 pp
1960 4.1

Southern Africa, 2025

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

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

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