Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 13.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini stood at 13.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini peaked at 21.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 2016.
That places Eswatini 101st out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 21.4% | — |
| 1992 | 21.1% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 20.7% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 20.6% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 20.3% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 20.0% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 19.6% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 19.3% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 19.0% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 19.0% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 18.3% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 17.8% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 17.0% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 16.6% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 16.2% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 15.8% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 15.1% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 14.4% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 14.1% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 13.8% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 13.5% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 13.2% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 13.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 13.5% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 13.9% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 14.0% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 14.0% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.2% | 19.0% | 21.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.2% | 15.4% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.9% | 13.2% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 13.8% | 14.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 98 Iran, Islamic Republic of 14.3% compare
- 99 Ukraine 14.1% compare
- 100 Uzbekistan 13.9% compare
- 102 Costa Rica 13.4% compare
- 103 Tunisia 12.8% compare
- 104 Kazakhstan 12.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Eswatini
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0641 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 263.26 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4281 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7328 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 6.2% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Eswatini was 13.8% in 2023, according to ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 21.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 2016.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Eswatini ranks 101st out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of people employed in agriculture includes working-age people with a job in farming, forestry, fishing, and related activities, including those temporarily absent.