Standard

SZ

Kingdom of eSwatini

Eswatini

Summary

Official Name
Kingdom of eSwatini
Population
1,160,000
Principal Languages
English, Swati
Literacy Rate
88% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions
ACHPR (1987), CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References
Bendor-Samuel and Hartell 1989, Welmers 1971a
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Eswatini is 5. All are living languages. Of these, 1 is indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional and 3 are developing. Also listed are 3 unestablished languages.

Languages

Afrikaans afr
Scattered. Users: 14,000 in Eswatini (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian
Chichewa nya
Users: 5,700 in Eswatini (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, N, Chewa-Nyanja (N.31)
English eng
Users: 68,500 in Eswatini, all users. L1 users: 16,500 in Eswatini (2019). L2 users: 52,000 (2019). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 3(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Hindi hin
Users: 8,200 in Eswatini (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
Sotho, Southern sot
Users: 5,400 in Eswatini (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Sotho-Tswana (S.33)
Swati ssw
Users: 960,000 in Eswatini (2019). Total users in all countries: 4,714,500 (as L1: 2,314,500; as L2: 2,400,000). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Isiswazi, Ngwane, Phuthi, Swazi, Tekela, Tekeza Autonym: siSwati Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.43)
Tsonga tso
Scattered. Users: 23,500 in Eswatini (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Changana, Shitsonga, Vatsonga, Xichangana, Xitsonga Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Tswa-Rhonga (S.53)
Zulu zul
Scattered. Users: 94,000 in Eswatini (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Isizulu, Zunda Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Nguni (S.42)

Languages by Status

    English
    [eng] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 3(2)). 68,500 in Eswatini, all users. L1 users: 16,500 in Eswatini (2019). L2 users: 52,000 (2019).
    Swati
    [ssw] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 3(2)). 960,000 in Eswatini (2019). Total users in all countries: 4,714,500 (as L1: 2,314,500; as L2: 2,400,000).
    Afrikaans
    [afr] 5* (Dispersed). 14,000 in Eswatini (2019).
    Tsonga
    [tso] 5* (Dispersed). 23,500 in Eswatini (2019).
    Zulu
    [zul] 5* (Dispersed). 94,000 in Eswatini (2019).
    Chichewa
    [nya] Unestablished. 5,700 in Eswatini (2019).
    Hindi
    [hin] Unestablished. 8,200 in Eswatini (2019).
    Sotho, Southern
    [sot] Unestablished. 5,400 in Eswatini (2019).

Maps

  • Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland

Graphs

  • Language Vitality Profile

  • Language Status Profile

Resources

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    Digest of the languages of Eswatini ($149.95, 20 page PDF)