Eswatini population pyramid 2026
1,269,859 people in 2026 (projected). Eswatini’s life expectancy fell by 13 years between 1990 and 2010 during one of the world’s worst HIV epidemics, then rose past its earlier peak by 2023.
- 2026 population
- 1.3Mrank 159 of 237
- Median age
- 22.7 yearsoldest rank 181
- Fertility rate
- 2.64births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful4.4% age 65+
Eswatini population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Eswatini age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 32.6% of the population, while 4.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.0% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Eswatini’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.8: about 59 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (51.8 children and 7.0 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Eswatini’s population pyramid
An epidemic in the life expectancy curve
Few countries show the impact of HIV and AIDS as starkly as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Life expectancy rose steadily from about 43 in 1950 to 61 in 1990, then fell to about 48 by 2010 as the epidemic peaked; Eswatini has had one of the highest rates of adult HIV infection recorded anywhere. The spread of antiretroviral treatment from the mid-2000s coincided with a recovery, and by 2023 life expectancy had risen to about 64.
Because the disease mainly killed adults in their twenties to forties, its mark on the pyramid is an unusually fast narrowing of the middle-aged bands rather than a single notch. It also coincided with falling fertility, from about 6.6 children per woman in 1980 to 4 in 2000, so the 2000 pyramid already has a slightly undercut base: the 5–9 band is a little larger than the 0–4 band.
Missing men across several decades
For much of the twentieth century men from Eswatini worked in South African mines, and the earlier pyramids show the result. In 1975 women outnumbered men at ages 15–29, with about 81 men per 100 women at 20–24, and in 2000, when the same cohorts were aged 40–54, there were still only about 81 men per 100 women. In 2026 the gap has moved to the top: there are about 68 men per 100 women at ages 60–74, and women live about six years longer than men. Under 45 the sexes are now close to balance. The UN estimates net emigration of about 234,000 people between 2000 and 2023, a large figure for a population of 1.2 million, but the pyramid alone cannot show how it was split between men and women.
A slowing, ageing population
Fertility has continued to fall, to about 2.6 in 2026, and the youngest five-year bands are now almost the same size. Births still outnumber deaths by about three to one, but emigration absorbs part of the surplus, and growth is about 1% a year. Under the medium scenario the population peaks at about 1.54 million in 2063, deaths first exceed births in 2077, and the median age rises from about 23 in 2026 to 40 in 2100. Eswatini’s 2026 structure resembles those of Papua New Guinea, Lesotho, Guatemala, Haiti and Botswana; neighbouring South Africa shows a related HIV-era imprint. The guide to median age and life expectancy explains why these two measures can move in quite different ways.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Eswatini’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2077. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2095.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Eswatini is projected to record 29,062 births (about 80 births a day) and 9,887 deaths, a natural increase of 19,175. Net migration adds −5,493 people, ranking #212 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 792,618 births, 358,339 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −234,253. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −138,917 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 67.4 years44.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 61.6 years42.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 14.3 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 36.0per 1,000 births · 143 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 47.5per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 27.8 yearssex ratio at birth 103.0
Women in Eswatini are projected to live 5.8 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 143 to 36.0 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #27 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 27.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Eswatini
The median age of 22.7 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.64 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 64.5 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,269,859 | #159 | Largest first |
| Median age | 22.7 years | #181 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.64 | #66 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.1% | #94 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 64.5 years | #213 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 4.4% | #178 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Eswatini
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 139,706 | 11.0% | 70.7K / 69K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 138,702 | 10.9% | 69.9K / 68.8K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 135,775 | 10.7% | 67.9K / 67.9K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 130,610 | 10.3% | 65.3K / 65.3K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 120,223 | 9.5% | 60.5K / 59.8K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Eswatini has 623,950 males and 645,908 females. That is 96.6 males per 100 females, ranking #160 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.1% of the population and females for 50.9%. There are 21,958 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 64.4 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Eswatini has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 271,655 in 1950 to 1,269,859 in 2026, a change of 367%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.3 to 22.7 years.
The under-15 share changed from 43.2% to 32.6%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.7% to 4.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Eswatini’s population is projected to grow by about 19%, reaching 1,505,331 in 2050. The median age changes from 22.7 to 29.4 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 3.0 percentage points to 7.4%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 24.6%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 1,541,076 in 2063. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 271,655 | 17.3 | 6.73 | 43.4 | 13,667 | 5,728 | −1,030 | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 345,337 | 15.5 | 6.75 | 46.4 | 16,367 | 6,420 | −2,082 | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 441,216 | 15.2 | 6.75 | 51.2 | 21,644 | 6,770 | −3,230 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 596,644 | 14.6 | 6.57 | 58.2 | 29,715 | 6,562 | −3,350 | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 872,428 | 15.0 | 5.29 | 61.2 | 35,272 | 6,924 | +7,169 | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 1,041,414 | 16.4 | 4.03 | 47.6 | 33,940 | 15,110 | −8,563 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 1,111,650 | 18.6 | 3.37 | 48.3 | 34,313 | 16,661 | −11,334 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 1,192,729 | 21.3 | 2.89 | 59.9 | 30,283 | 11,385 | −4,242 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 1,230,506 | 22.0 | 2.75 | 64.1 | 29,622 | 9,475 | −8,549 | +0.9% |
| 2024* | 1,242,822 | 22.2 | 2.72 | 64.3 | 29,390 | 9,609 | −6,754 | +1.1% |
| 2026* | 1,269,859 | 22.7 | 2.64 | 64.5 | 29,062 | 9,887 | −5,493 | +1.1% |
| 2030* | 1,320,918 | 23.7 | 2.51 | 65.1 | 28,481 | 10,495 | −5,155 | +1.0% |
| 2040* | 1,429,781 | 26.5 | 2.26 | 66.3 | 27,073 | 12,116 | −5,989 | +0.6% |
| 2050* | 1,505,331 | 29.4 | 2.08 | 67.5 | 24,854 | 14,007 | −5,442 | +0.4% |
| 2060* | 1,539,564 | 32.2 | 1.97 | 68.6 | 22,652 | 16,233 | −5,631 | +0.1% |
| 2070* | 1,531,453 | 34.7 | 1.90 | 69.7 | 20,558 | 18,335 | −4,599 | -0.1% |
| 2080* | 1,489,791 | 36.8 | 1.85 | 70.9 | 18,523 | 19,541 | −4,297 | -0.4% |
| 2090* | 1,422,364 | 38.6 | 1.81 | 72.0 | 16,557 | 19,994 | −4,056 | -0.5% |
| 2100* | 1,340,879 | 40.1 | 1.78 | 73.2 | 14,894 | 19,872 | −3,902 | -0.7% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 70,681 | 69,025 | 139,706 | 11.0% |
| 5–9 | 69,926 | 68,776 | 138,702 | 10.9% |
| 10–14 | 67,891 | 67,884 | 135,775 | 10.7% |
| 15–19 | 65,335 | 65,275 | 130,610 | 10.3% |
| 20–24 | 60,456 | 59,767 | 120,223 | 9.5% |
| 25–29 | 56,289 | 54,026 | 110,315 | 8.7% |
| 30–34 | 49,547 | 50,416 | 99,963 | 7.9% |
| 35–39 | 45,261 | 46,691 | 91,952 | 7.2% |
| 40–44 | 39,214 | 40,108 | 79,322 | 6.2% |
| 45–49 | 29,860 | 30,385 | 60,245 | 4.7% |
| 50–54 | 20,518 | 22,847 | 43,365 | 3.4% |
| 55–59 | 15,875 | 20,220 | 36,095 | 2.8% |
| 60–64 | 11,203 | 16,514 | 27,717 | 2.2% |
| 65–69 | 8,997 | 13,438 | 22,435 | 1.8% |
| 70–74 | 6,334 | 9,318 | 15,652 | 1.2% |
| 75–79 | 3,684 | 5,901 | 9,585 | 0.8% |
| 80–84 | 1,872 | 3,523 | 5,395 | 0.4% |
| 85–89 | 795 | 1,395 | 2,190 | 0.2% |
| 90–94 | 183 | 335 | 518 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 28 | 58 | 86 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Eswatini’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Papua New Guinea97% overlap · median age 23.0
- Lesotho97% overlap · median age 22.1
- Guatemala97% overlap · median age 23.8
- Haiti97% overlap · median age 24.3
- Botswana97% overlap · median age 23.7
- Honduras96% overlap · median age 24.6
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Eswatini.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Eswatini Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/eswatini/
MLA
“Eswatini Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/eswatini/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Eswatini Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/eswatini/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Eswatini in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Eswatini's population in 2026 is projected at 1,269,859.
What is the median age in Eswatini?
The projected median age in Eswatini in 2026 is 22.7 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Eswatini?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.64 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Eswatini's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 19%, from 1.3M to 1.5M.
What share of Eswatini is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 4.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 7.4%.
How many babies are born in Eswatini each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 29,062 births and 9,887 deaths in 2026, about 80 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 19,175.
What is life expectancy in Eswatini for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 67.4 years for women and 61.6 years for men, a gap of 5.8 years in favour of women.
Does Eswatini have more immigrants or emigrants?
Eswatini is projected to lose about 5,493 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −234,253.
What is the sex ratio in Eswatini?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 96.6 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.