SZ
Kingdom of eSwatini
Eswatini
Summary
Official Name
Kingdom of eSwatini
International Conventions
ACHPR (1995), CDE (1970), CPPDCE (2012), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (2004), UNCRPD (2012), UNDRIP (2007)
Population
1,148,000
Principal Languages
English, Swati
Literacy Rate
88% (2018 UNESCO)
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
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).
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).
Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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