Eswatini profile

Demography and Health

Eswatini is a small Southern African country with a population of about 1.24 million people as of 2024, indicating a relatively concentrated demographic presence. The crude birth rate stands at 24.1 births per 1,000 people (2023), suggesting a youthful population and ongoing population growth even as other pressures mount. The crude death rate is 7.7 per 1,000 (2023), which, when combined with the birth rate, implies a positive natural increase though not exceptionally high by regional standards. Life expectancy at birth is 64.1 years (2023), signaling substantial health challenges and constraints in extending healthy longevity. The country records a notable under-5 mortality rate of 45.0 per 1,000 live births (2023), underscoring gaps in child health services and nutrition that require targeted interventions. The suicide mortality rate is 27.2 per 100,000 people (2021), a concerning mental health indicator that merits attention within the broader health system. Net migration is negative, with a balance of -6,754 people in 2024, indicating outward movement that can influence the labor force, aging dynamics, and dependency ratios over time. The population is young but faces health constraints, and outward migration may shape both demand for services and the skill base available for development. Healthcare resources reflect constrained capacity: physicians average 1.59 per 1,000 people (2022), and current health expenditure is 7.22% of GDP (2022). The domestic general government health expenditure per capita, PPP, is 342 international dollars (2022), suggesting limited public funding available per person for health services. The country also grapples with nutrition challenges, with 12.4% of the population undernourished (2022). Taken together, these indicators point to a health system stretched by a relatively high disease burden, nutrition insecurity, and financing constraints, which weigh on life expectancy and child health outcomes. The internet penetration sits at 57.6% of the population (2023), offering a potential channel for health education and telemedicine to improve access, though digital divide and service delivery gaps likely persist in rural areas. Social indicators such as preexisting mental health needs and suicide rates emphasize the importance of integrating mental health into primary care and community-based services. Overall, Eswatini faces a demographic profile with a young population and notable health vulnerabilities that require integrated health and social policies, including nutrition, maternal and child health, mental health, and sustainable financing to improve population well-being.

Economy

Eswatini has a modest economy, with GDP per capita at current prices of about 3,936 USD in 2024 and a GDP per capita, PPP of roughly 11,784 international dollars, signaling a middle-income status on a PPP basis but relatively low income per person in market terms. The country shows a trade-off between openness and protection in its external orientation: exports of goods and services amount to 48.7% of GDP (2023), while imports account for 51.4% of GDP (2023). This near-balanced trade posture suggests a reliance on global markets for both consumption and investment goods, with the potential for external shocks to affect domestic prices and supply chains. High-technology exports reach about 3.58 million USD (2023), ranking around 122nd globally, which indicates that Eswatini maintains a modest but meaningful niche in advanced product categories, potentially related to electronics or specialized manufacturing activities. The unemployment rate is alarmingly high at 34.2% (2021), implying substantial slack in the labor market and potential constraints on domestic demand and social stability, as well as a push factor for migration. The current account balance is positive at 2.34% of GDP (2023), suggesting a net external position that can support macro stability if financing conditions remain favorable. Foreign direct investment net inflows are 0.611% of GDP (2023), indicating limited but positive investment inflows that could grow with improved governance and business climate. In sum, Eswatini’s economy sits in a framework of moderate living standards, significant unemployment, health-related and social challenges, and an external balance that benefits from openness but remains vulnerable to global demand and commodity cycles. The economy’s strength in exports as a share of GDP and the presence of some high-tech exports point to diversification potential, albeit constrained by investment, governance, and infrastructure constraints.

Trade and Investment

Trade and investment dynamics in Eswatini reflect a careful balance between openness and domestic capacity constraints. Exports of goods and services constitute 48.7% of GDP (2023), while imports are 51.4% of GDP (2023), indicating a trade-heavy economy with a sizable import bill that can be sensitive to exchange rate movements and global commodity prices. The current account shows a positive balance of 2.34% of GDP (2023), signaling net inflows from the rest of the world and the potential to finance development needs. Foreign direct investment, net inflows, stand at 0.611% of GDP (2023), showing a modest but positive influx of investment that can be a foundation for capacity building if complemented by stronger governance, competitive policies, and targeted sector strategies. The substantial share of energy consumption from renewables (64.7% of total final energy consumption, 2022) may influence trade by reducing import dependence for energy and improving macro stability, especially if renewable supply becomes more reliable and integrated into industrial clusters. The country’s high-technology exports value (3.58 million USD, 2023) and its ranking suggest opportunities to scale niche tech manufacturing or value-added services, but achieving higher levels will likely require improvements in technology transfer, education, and business environment. Taken together, Eswatini’s trade and investment landscape shows vulnerability to external shocks but also opportunities for diversification, energy security gains through renewables, and incremental advancement in high-technology sectors through policy and institutional improvements.

Governance and Institutions

Governance indicators for Eswatini present a challenging picture. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism scores are negative (-0.358 in 2023), and regulatory quality (-0.717), rule of law (-0.598), control of corruption (-0.735), and government effectiveness (-0.885) are all in the negative range, reflecting significant governance weaknesses relative to global peers. These indicators imply a performance gap in delivering predictable policies, enforcing laws, managing public resources, and maintaining public trust. In practical terms, weak governance can hinder private investment, complicate project implementation, and complicate health, education, and infrastructure financing. It can also dampen investor confidence and slow the pace of modernization. However, governance challenges do not imply a lack of capacity or resilience; rather, they indicate areas where reform, transparency measures, and capacity-building could yield outsized gains in efficiency, public service delivery, and investment climate. The combination of negative governance scores with decent macro indicators like a positive current account and modest FDI inflows suggests a country at a crossroads: continuing on a fragile path with reforms or consolidating gains through governance improvements to unlock higher domestic investment and more inclusive growth.

Infrastructure and Technology

Eswatini exhibits moderate technological and infrastructural development with several notable strengths and gaps. Internet penetration is 57.6% of the population (2023), indicating that over half of people have online access, which provides a platform for digital services, e-commerce, and information diffusion, but also leaves a large portion of the population potentially underserved by digital infrastructure. The presence of 1.59 physicians per 1,000 people (2022) and domestic government health expenditure per capita (PPP) of 342 international dollars (2022) signal a health system with limited medical staffing capacity and constrained public funding per person. These factors interact with the health indicators discussed above, underscoring the importance of targeted investments in health workforce expansion and financing to improve access and outcomes. High-technology exports total around 3.58 million USD (2023), suggesting activity in advanced sectors but not at scale, aligning with the country’s modest GDP per capita and development level. The energy profile—renewables accounting for 64.7% of total final energy consumption (2022)—suggests a relatively clean energy mix, potentially underpinned by hydro and other renewables, which can support industrial activity and reduce vulnerability to fossil fuel price volatility. The data imply a technology sector with incremental growth potential, anchored by digital access and energy reliability, but with a clear need for capacity-building in skills, institutions, and investment to accelerate technological upgrading and service delivery.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental indicators reveal both resilience and stress. Renewable energy accounts for 64.7% of total final energy consumption (2022), pointing to a strong shift toward renewables that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security, particularly if renewable supply is reliable and scaled. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita exclude LULUCF are 2.67 t CO2e per capita (2023), placing Eswatini in a lower-to-moderate emissions tier per person, but aggregate emissions will depend on population and industrial activity. Level of water stress is high, with freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources at 77.6% (2021) and a rank of 25, indicating significant pressure on water resources that could affect agriculture, health, and energy production, especially under climate variability. The nation’s major nutrition indicator shows 12.4% undernourishment (2022), reflecting ongoing challenges in food security and nutrition that can strain health and human capital. Soil, biodiversity, and ecosystem services responses are not detailed here, but such water stress and nutrition pressures underscore the need for integrated resource management, climate adaptation measures, and investments in sustainable agriculture. The military expenditure is modest at 67.8 million USD (current US$) in 2023, suggesting limited defense spending that could free up resources for development priorities but also implying constrained security and internal stability if not complemented by governance reforms and socio-economic improvements. Overall, Eswatini faces environmental pressures from water scarcity and nutrition while benefiting from a substantial renewable energy share, highlighting opportunities to strengthen resilience through water management, climate-smart agriculture, and investments in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.