Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Swaziland instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 41.7% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Swaziland, that number is 16.5% of people as of 2016.

be 40.3% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Swaziland, that number is 26.8% of people as of 2020.

live 5.6 years less

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 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 26.7% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Swaziland, the top tax rate is 33.0% as of 2016.

make 25.9% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Swaziland, the GDP per capita is $10,600 as of 2023.

be 34.5% more likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Swaziland, that number is 37.6% as of 2023.

be 3.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Swaziland, however, that number is 58.9% as of 2016.

Life

have 26.0% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Swaziland, there are 22.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Swaziland, 437.0 women do as of 2017.

be 53.2% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 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 18.1% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Swaziland, about 59.0% do as of 2021.

be 17.0% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Africa, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 90% 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 24.2% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Swaziland spends 5.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 24.4% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% 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, South African Revenue Service.

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 South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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