Eswatini is a country in Africa, in Southern Africa, with about 1.26 million people (2025) and an area of 17,360 square kilometres. It names 2 capitals, Mbabane and Lobamba, and it shares land borders with 2 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of EswatiniEswatini in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
Key facts about Eswatini
Capitals
Mbabane and LobambaMbabane is the administrative capital; Lobamba is the legislative and royal capital.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Eswatini's 6, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 6
Placing Eswatini
Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom roughly the size of New Jersey, almost entirely surrounded by South Africa, with a short eastern border touching Mozambique. The terrain descends from west to east through four zones: the Highveld along the western escarpment, the Middleveld plateau, the low-lying Lowveld, and the Lebombo Mountains forming the eastern ridge. Across that short span the country drops more than 1,000 meters, creating microclimates that range from temperate pine forests to subtropical bushveld.
More on Lebombo Mountains
A narrow basalt ridge reaching about 780 meters, running north to south and casting a rain shadow that leaves the eastern Lowveld significantly drier than the western highlands.
5 more lenses on Eswatini in the app
STORY Africa's last absolute monarchy
NOW A health crisis that reshaped a generation
STORY The Reed Dance and the culture it sustains
THREAD A tiny kingdom in South Africa's economic shadow
THREAD The last African embassy loyal to Taipei
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare Eswatini with another country
Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.
Common questions
What is the capital of Eswatini?
Eswatini names 2 capitals: Mbabane and Lobamba. Mbabane is the administrative capital; Lobamba is the legislative and royal capital. Mbabane lies at about 26.3 degrees south and 31.1 degrees east. Eswatini is in Africa, in the region often called Southern Africa.
What is the population of Eswatini?
About 1.26 million people live in Eswatini, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 155th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 17,360 square kilometres, that is about 72 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Eswatini?
Eswatini shares land borders with 2 countries: Mozambique and South Africa. The map on this page outlines each of them around Eswatini. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Eswatini?
Eswatini covers 17,360 square kilometres, or about 6,703 square miles. That makes it the 153rd largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 1.26 million gives a density of 72 people per square kilometre.
Eswatini is a country in Africa, in Southern Africa, with about 1.26 million people (2025) and an area of 17,360 square kilometres. It names 2 capitals, Mbabane and Lobamba, and it shares land borders with 2 countries.
Capitals
Mbabane and LobambaMbabane is the administrative capital; Lobamba is the legislative and royal capital.
Continent
Africa
Region
Southern Africa
Population
1,256,174 2025, World Bank. 155th of 195.
Area
17,360 km² (6,703 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 153rd largest of 195.
Population density
72 people per km²
Land neighbours
2: Mozambique, South Africa
Official name
Kingdom of Eswatini
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Placing Eswatini
Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom roughly the size of New Jersey, almost entirely surrounded by South Africa, with a short eastern border touching Mozambique. The terrain descends from west to east through four zones: the Highveld along the western escarpment, the Middleveld plateau, the low-lying Lowveld, and the Lebombo Mountains forming the eastern ridge. Across that short span the country drops more than 1,000 meters, creating microclimates that range from temperate pine forests to subtropical bushveld.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/eswatini/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Eswatini
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/eswatini/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
