Languages spoken in Eswatini
Africa · Capital: Mbabane · Population 1.1 million
In Eswatini, two languages have official status: English and Swati. English is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 80% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 910,472 people. After English, the most widely spoken are Swati at 58% and Zulu at 6.8%. English belongs to the Indo-European language family. English is also spoken in one of its two neighbours: South Africa. In total, four languages are recorded in Eswatini, and their shares add up to 146.5% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.5 of them.
What languages are spoken in Eswatini?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnglishIndo-European | 80% | Official | 910,472 |
| SwatiNiger-Congo | 58% | Official | 660,092 |
| ZuluNiger-Congo | 6.8% | Spoken | 77,390 |
| TsongaNiger-Congo | 1.7% | Spoken | 19,348 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Eswatini?
In Eswatini, two languages have official status: English and Swati. English is spoken by an estimated 80% of the population, or roughly 910,472 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak English in Eswatini?
An estimated 80% of Eswatini's 1.1 million people speak English, which works out at roughly 910,472 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Eswatini
- Capital
- Mbabane and Lobamba
- Population
- 1.1 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 17,364 km²
- Currency
- SZL and ZAR
- Languages recorded
- 4
- Land borders
- 2
- ISO codes
- SZ / SWZ / 748
Which countries border Eswatini?
Eswatini shares a land border with two countries: Mozambique and South Africa. English, the most widely spoken language in Eswatini, is also spoken in South Africa.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.