Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Swaziland instead of Namibia, you would:

Health

be 2.3 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Namibia, 11.6% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Swaziland, that number is 26.8% of people as of 2020.

live 6.8 years less

In Namibia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022. In Swaziland, that number is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 10.8% lower top tax rate

Namibia has a top tax rate of 37.0% as of 2016. In Swaziland, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

be 93.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Namibia, 19.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Swaziland, that number is 37.6% as of 2023.

be 3.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Namibia, 17.4% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Swaziland, however, that number is 58.9% as of 2016.

Life

be 2.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Namibia, approximately 215.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Swaziland, 437.0 women do as of 2017.

be 34.7% more likely to die during infancy

In Namibia, approximately 29.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Swaziland, on the other hand, 39.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 46.4% more likely to have access to electricity

In Namibia, approximately 56% of people have electricity access (75% in urban areas, and 33% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Swaziland, that number is 82% of people on average (94% in urban areas, and 79% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 11.3% more likely to have internet access

In Namibia, approximately 53.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Swaziland, about 59.0% do as of 2021.

be 12.1% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Namibia, approximately 91% of people have improved drinking water access (99% in urban areas, and 83% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Swaziland, that number is 80% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 47.9% less on education

Namibia spends 9.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Swaziland spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 27.0% less on healthcare

Namibia spends 8.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Swaziland, that number is 6.5% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Swaziland Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Inland Revenue Department.

Swaziland: At a glance

Swaziland is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 17,204 sq km. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
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How big is Swaziland compared to Namibia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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