Eswatini—Unemployment (%)
The IMF World Economic Outlook does not publish unemployment rate for Eswatini. This page shows the World Bank (ILO) series (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS) instead; the figures, ranking and source link above all come from that series.
Eswatini's unemployment rate was 34.2% in 2025, ranking #1 out of 187 countries. This represents a -1.3% change from 2024. Over the past 26 years, the highest recorded value was 36.5% (2022) and the lowest was 22.7% (2016). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34.2% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 34.6% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 34.6% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 34.2% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 33.0% | +16.9% |
| 2019 | 28.2% | +6.6% |
| 2018 | 26.5% | +7.9% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 22.7% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 23.4% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 23.9% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 25.2% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 26.1% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 26.9% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 28.2% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 26.7% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 26.3% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 25.8% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 25.2% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 24.5% |
Top Countries — Unemployment (%)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eswatini | 34.2% | 2025 |
| 2 | South Africa | 32.4% | 2025 |
| 3 | Djibouti | 26.0% | 2025 |
| 4 | Botswana | 24.5% | 2025 |
| 5 | West Bank and Gaza | 24.4% | 2022 |
| 6 | Gabon | 20.2% | 2025 |
| 7 | Republic of the Congo | 19.9% | 2025 |
| 8 | Namibia | 19.3% | 2025 |
| 9 | Somalia | 18.9% | 2025 |
| 10 | Libya | 18.8% | 2025 |
About This Indicator
Definition
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Methodology
Data compiled by ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: January 17, 2026.
Unit
% of total labor force