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World Factbook

Eswatini

Umbuso weSwatini

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.217 billion (2021 est.)

expenditures

$1.439 billion (2021 est.)

Exports

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2021

$2.132 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.095 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$2.174 billion (2023 est.)

Imports

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2021

$2.173 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.288 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$2.351 billion (2023 est.)

Industries

soft drink concentrates, coal, forestry, sugar processing, textiles, and apparel

Labor force

390,600 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2021

35.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

emalangeni per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

16.47 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.783 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

16.362 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

18.454 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

18.318 (2024 est.)

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Debt - external 2023

$923.266 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

landlocked southern African economy; South African trade dependent and currency pegging; CMA and SACU member state; COVID-19 economic slowdown; growing utilities inflation; persistent poverty and unemployment; HIV/AIDS labor force disruptions

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

35.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

35.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

34.4% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

South Africa 61%, Ireland 4%, Mozambique 4%, Kenya 4%, Nigeria 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

South Africa 71%, China 8%, India 4%, USA 2%, Mozambique 1% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$10,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$10,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$10,400 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.6% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, maize, root vegetables, grapefruits, oranges, milk, pineapples, bananas, beef, sweet potatoes (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

scented mixtures, raw sugar, industrial acids/oils/alcohols, garments, wood (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, electricity, plastic products, cotton fabric, garments (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Current account balance

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Current account balance 2021

$125.318 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$140.972 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$107.534 million (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.892 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

64% (2023 est.)

government consumption

19.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

3.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.1% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services

48.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.4% (2023 est.)

Population below poverty line

58.9% (2016 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.2% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

4.8% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.6% (2019 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$12.135 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$12.553 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$12.885 billion (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

56% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

58.2% (2024 est.)

female

60.3% (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$572.282 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$452.352 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$479.261 million (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

34.7% (2023 est.)

services

51.7% (2023 est.)

agriculture

6.8% (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

1.4% (2016 est.)

highest 10%

42.7% (2016 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

54.6 (2016 est.)