Eswatini — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Eswatini, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Eswatini was 1.07% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 4.64% in 1989. The lowest was -0.08% in 1995 (about -13.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.17% per year.
Eswatini ranks 97 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 45%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Eswatini sits below it. It peaked in 1989 and has fallen 77% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 87%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 46 of 48 economies; Cabo Verde (0.47%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 2568% in 1996. That is 17% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1988.
World ranking. Climbed: 109th of 216 in 1961 → 74th of 216 in 1970 → 33rd of 216 in 1980 → 14th of 216 in 1990 → 136th of 217 in 2000 → 144th of 217 in 2010 → 103rd of 217 in 2020 → 97th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 0.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.02% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 0.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 0.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 0.75% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 0.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 0.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 0.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 0.54% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 0.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 0.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 0.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 0.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 0.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 0.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 0.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 0.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 0.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 0.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 1.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 1.09% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 1.28% | -0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 1.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 1.98% | +2.1 pp |
| 1995 | -0.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | -0.01% | -2.9 pp |
| 1993 | 2.91% | -0.9 pp |
| 1992 | 3.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 4.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 4.05% | -0.6 pp |
| 1989 | 4.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 4.6% | +0.7 pp |
| 1987 | 3.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 1985 | 3.66% | +0.4 pp |
| 1984 | 3.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.29% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 3.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 3.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 3.31% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 3.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 3.29% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 3.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 3.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 2.94% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 2.87% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 2.8% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 2.74% | +0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 2.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 2.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.53% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 2.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 2.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.27% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Eswatini’s Population growth in 1962?
2.27% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Eswatini’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -52.9% in total — about 1.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.07%; 2024: 1%; 2023: 0.95%; 2022: 1.02%; 2021: 1.16%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.