Eswatini
Eswatini is home to 1.3m people (2025) and has an economy of $5.2bn (2025), the 13th largest in SADC. Output per person of $4,108 is above the regional median of $2,539. The economy grew 4.2% in 2025, and the IMF expects 3.7% in 2026. Inflation was 2.6% in 2019, below the regional median of 3.6%. 89.3% of people have electricity (2024).
Where Eswatini stands out
- Manufacturing, value addedManufacturing creates formal jobs and export diversification.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.Highest of 16 in SADC
- Current account balancePersistent large deficits must be financed by capital inflows.2nd highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.2nd highest of 16 in SADC
- Adults without an accountThe size of the unserved market for fintech, savings, credit and insurance products.2nd lowest of 15 in SADC. Select for the data card.2nd lowest of 15 in SADC
What to watch
- UnemploymentHigh unemployment means available labour but also weak demand and social pressure.Highest of 15 in SADC. Select for the data card.Highest of 15 in SADC
- Voice and accountabilityTends to predict how peacefully power changes hands and how predictable policy is after elections.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.Lowest of 16 in SADC
- Electoral democracy indexSignals how contestable power is, and so how likely a change of government, and of policy, is through the ballot box.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.Lowest of 16 in SADC
Eswatini scores best on digital, finance and weakest on unmet demand
Scores from 0 to 100 by rank within SADC, against the SADC median. 100 means best in the region on that pillar.
The IMF expects Eswatini to grow 3.7% in 2026
Real GDP growth, per cent a year. Open bars are IMF forecasts.
Ten years of history are free with a Reader account.
Farming employs 15% of workers but produces 6% of output
Share of jobs in each broad sector against its share of GDP, latest year. A sector with far more jobs than output has low productivity and room to grow.
Key figures
The bar under each figure places it among the 16 countries of SADC, lowest on the left. Hover for context; select for the data card.Eswatini on the map
Its 4 regions and 53 tinkhundla, shaded by population, power, water, transport and more; circles sized by value; or power lines, roads and masts on a street map.
How Eswatini generates electricity
Share of electricity generation by source, latest year.
No electricity data for Eswatini.
The history of the power mix is part of the Individual plan
US$19 a month or US$190 a year. Subscribe on dotzedw.com and you come straight back to this page with Individual access. Already a member? Sign in with your dotzedw.com account.
Trends against SADC
Eswatini in olive, the regional median in grey, other countries faint.Ten years of history for every indicator is free with a Reader account
Sign up with your email address on dotzedw.com and you come straight back to this page. Your free account also brings the weekly SADC Deals Brief and five full deal records a month. Already have an account? Sign in.
Politics, parliament and elections
Compare all countriesKing Mswati III is head of state and appoints the Prime Minister, the cabinet, part of both chambers and senior judges. Parliament is chosen under the non-party tinkhundla system: candidates stand as individuals and political parties cannot contest elections, although some exist. Pro-democracy protests in 2021 were suppressed with lethal force.
- King (Ngwenyama)
- Mswati III, since 25 Apr 1986
- Prime Minister
- Russell Mmiso Dlamini, since 3 Nov 2023
- How the executive is chosen
- The King appoints the Prime Minister and cabinet
- Term and limits
- The King reigns for life; parliament serves five years
- In power since
- 1986 (40 years)Political parties were banned in 1973; the 2005 Constitution does not provide for them to contest elections.
- Next national election
- 2028 (parliamentary)
- Electoral body
- Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC)
59 of the 74 members of the House of Assembly are elected
House of Assembly, seats as of October 2023. Non-party (Tinkhundla); 5-year term
- ELEC59
- KING10
- OTHM5
- How seats are filled
- 59 members are elected in single-member tinkhundla constituencies, in a primary at chiefdom level and a secondary vote. Ten members appointed by the King, four women elected by the House when fewer than 30% of members are women, and the Attorney General ex officio.
- Powers
- Passes laws and the budget, which the King must assent to; it can pass a vote of no confidence in the cabinet.
- Elections
- Last 29 Sept 2023; next 2028
No members of the Senate are elected
Senate, seats as of October 2023. Appointed; 5-year term
- SENK20
- SENE10
- How seats are filled
- Indirectly elected and appointed. Ten senators elected by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the King.
- Powers
- Reviews bills; a joint sitting settles disagreements with the House.
- Elections
- Last October 2023; next 2028
What the record shows
- Parties cannot contest elections in Eswatini, so there is no party record to track; power rests with the monarchy.
- V-Dem's clean elections score is 38 out of 100, up from 28 in 2015.
Parliamentary elections
Every lower-house election since 1990: the largest party's share of the vote and of the seats, and turnout of registered voters. Open circles mark a change of government.
Every national election
| Date | Election | Result | Turnout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Sept 2023 | House of Assembly | n/a | Boycott | |
| 2018 | Parliament | 60.5% | V-Dem | |
| 20 Sept 2013 | Parliament | independent 55 seats; tech 10 seats | n/a | V-Dem |
| 19 Sept 2008 | Parliament | independent 55 seats | n/a | Change of power V-Dem |
| 18 Oct 2003 | Parliament | independent 55 seats | n/a | Change of power V-Dem |
| 24 Oct 1998 | Parliament | independent 55 seats | n/a | V-Dem |
Checked 30 Sept 2026. Not yet recorded: Registration and turnout for 2023 are not recorded; V-Dem's figures are used where available. The number of women members elected under the gender provision after 2023 is taken as four; not confirmed.
Election calendar
All electionsHover a vote for its result and what it means.
- 2028Eswatini: Parliamentary electionNo analysis written for this vote yet.Sources: WikipediaExpected
- 29 Sept 2023Eswatini: Parliamentary electionResult: Tinkhundla elections for the House of Assembly; political parties cannot contest. Executive power remains with the king.No analysis written for this vote yet.Sources: WikipediaHeld
Deals and projects
Every deal in EswatiniNo deals in Eswatini among the latest headlines.
Individual Every deal record with its parties, value, stage and sources.
dotzedw analysis on Eswatini
All analysis- Assessing the impact of Universal Service Funds in expanding African internet access11 Apr 2024 · 12 min read · Members
- financial inclusion & digital use mismatch in Eswatini market creates an innovation gap2 Aug 2023 · 2 min read
- Eswatini Financial Services: Another Triumph for Mobile Money27 Jul 2023 · 2 min read