Eswatini vs South Africa
Eswatini vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 4.5 years in Eswatini and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.1 years, or 1.24 times that in Eswatini.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Eswatini.
- In 2020, Eswatini ranked 158 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Eswatini | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.5 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 4.5 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 5.7 | 5.1 |
| 2010 | 4.1 | 6.2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Eswatini vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyEswatini: 64.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEswatini: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEswatini: 37.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionEswatini: 4.07% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateEswatini: 22.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEswatini: 1.23 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthEswatini: 0.94% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEswatini: 2.75 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEswatini: 26.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageEswatini: 22 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEswatini: 4.1% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateEswatini: -6.9 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEswatini: 1.6% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsEswatini: $88.1M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personEswatini: $75 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEswatini: 5.2% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEswatini: 3,000 people in 1999South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerEswatini: 0.01% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEswatini: 0.98% of the labour force in 1999South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEswatini: 2 million TIV in 2020South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025