Eswatini vs South Africa: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
Eswatini
34.2%
in 2025
South Africa
32.4%
in 2025
Eswatini rank
1st
South Africa rank
2nd
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) over time
- Eswatini
- South Africa
How they compare
Eswatini currently reports 34.2% against 32.4% in South Africa, a difference of 1.8%.
That makes Eswatini's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was South Africa ahead.
Eswatini ranks 1st and South Africa ranks 2nd of 187 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Eswatini averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Eswatini | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.0% | 22.9% | 0.9% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 26.7% | 22.6% | 4.1% | Eswatini |
| 2010s | 25.2% | 25.8% | 0.6% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 34.5% | 32.2% | 2.3% | Eswatini |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment, total (% of total labor force), Eswatini or South Africa?
- Eswatini, at 34.2% against 32.4% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment, total (% of total labor force) between Eswatini and South Africa?
- 1.8%, with Eswatini ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Eswatini and South Africa rank globally for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Eswatini ranks 1st and South Africa ranks 2nd of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.