Rank #26 by World Population

🇧🇼Botswana

Botswana has a population of 2,480,244, ranking #26 in the world. The capital is Gaborone. Located in Sub-Saharan Africa .

World Bank: Upper middle income

2,480,244

Population

#26

World Rank

69.2

Life Expectancy

$7,826

GDP Per Capita

Botswana, #26 by world population

Botswana Population History (1960-2024)

The country of Botswana had a population of 516,165 in 1960 and 2,521,139 in 2024, a 4.9× growth over 64 years. The peak was 2,521,139 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.52%.

Botswana population, 1960–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

2,521,139

Population (2024)

516,165

Population (1960)

2,521,139

Peak (2024)

2.52%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1960	516,165	-	-	estimate
1961	527,942	+11,777	+2.28%	estimate
1962	540,186	+12,244	+2.32%	estimate
1963	552,966	+12,780	+2.37%	estimate
1964	566,266	+13,300	+2.41%	estimate
1965	574,664	+8,398	+1.48%	estimate
1966	577,866	+3,202	+0.56%	estimate
1967	580,933	+3,067	+0.53%	estimate
1968	583,966	+3,033	+0.52%	estimate
1969	587,066	+3,100	+0.53%	estimate
1970	590,334	+3,268	+0.56%	estimate
1971	600,481	+10,147	+1.72%	estimate
1972	622,407	+21,926	+3.65%	estimate
1973	652,408	+30,001	+4.82%	estimate
1974	685,448	+33,040	+5.06%	estimate
1975	720,380	+34,932	+5.10%	estimate
1976	758,508	+38,128	+5.29%	estimate
1977	799,574	+41,066	+5.41%	estimate
1978	849,239	+49,665	+6.21%	estimate
1979	901,742	+52,503	+6.18%	estimate
1980	937,485	+35,743	+3.96%	estimate
1981	969,996	+32,511	+3.47%	estimate
1982	1,009,269	+39,273	+4.05%	estimate
1983	1,046,137	+36,868	+3.65%	estimate
1984	1,083,660	+37,523	+3.59%	estimate
1985	1,121,945	+38,285	+3.53%	estimate
1986	1,160,650	+38,705	+3.45%	estimate
1987	1,199,167	+38,517	+3.32%	estimate
1988	1,235,476	+36,309	+3.03%	estimate
1989	1,270,274	+34,798	+2.82%	estimate
1990	1,305,696	+35,422	+2.79%	estimate
1991	1,341,756	+36,060	+2.76%	estimate
1992	1,380,033	+38,277	+2.85%	estimate
1993	1,420,115	+40,082	+2.90%	estimate
1994	1,460,023	+39,908	+2.81%	estimate
1995	1,498,836	+38,813	+2.66%	estimate
1996	1,535,914	+37,078	+2.47%	estimate
1997	1,571,691	+35,777	+2.33%	estimate
1998	1,606,899	+35,208	+2.24%	estimate
1999	1,641,997	+35,098	+2.18%	estimate
2000	1,677,382	+35,385	+2.15%	estimate
2001	1,712,254	+34,872	+2.08%	estimate
2002	1,744,763	+32,509	+1.90%	estimate
2003	1,775,736	+30,973	+1.78%	estimate
2004	1,807,146	+31,410	+1.77%	estimate
2005	1,839,877	+32,731	+1.81%	estimate
2006	1,874,516	+34,639	+1.88%	estimate
2007	1,911,201	+36,685	+1.96%	estimate
2008	1,949,970	+38,769	+2.03%	estimate
2009	1,990,673	+40,703	+2.09%	estimate
2010	2,033,111	+42,438	+2.13%	estimate
2011	2,073,535	+40,424	+1.99%	estimate
2012	2,108,617	+35,082	+1.69%	estimate
2013	2,140,682	+32,065	+1.52%	estimate
2014	2,172,044	+31,362	+1.47%	estimate
2015	2,203,273	+31,229	+1.44%	estimate
2016	2,234,776	+31,503	+1.43%	estimate
2017	2,266,747	+31,971	+1.43%	estimate
2018	2,299,141	+32,394	+1.43%	estimate
2019	2,332,083	+32,942	+1.43%	estimate
2020	2,365,894	+33,811	+1.45%	estimate
2021	2,401,441	+35,547	+1.50%	estimate
2022	2,439,892	+38,451	+1.60%	estimate
2023	2,480,244	+40,352	+1.65%	estimate
2024	2,521,139	+40,895	+1.65%	estimate

Demographics

Population	2,480,244
Population Growth Rate	1.64%
Urban Population	67.0%
Fertility Rate	2.73 births/woman
Life Expectancy	69.2 years
Infant Mortality Rate	33.3 per 1,000
Literacy Rate	-

Economy & Trade

$7,826

GDP Per Capita

23.4%

Unemployment Rate

Upper middle income

Income Level

68.8%

Trade (% of GDP)

Health & Education

6.3%

Health Expenditure (% GDP)

0.38

Physicians per 1,000

33.3

Infant Mortality (per 1,000)

Development & Connectivity

76.0%

Electricity Access

57.9%

Internet Users

173

Mobile Subs per 100

4.4

People per km2

-6,487

Net Migration

Environment

26.3%

Forest Area

Other Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Angola Benin Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde

Compare Botswana

vs Afghanistan vs Albania vs Algeria vs American Samoa

Botswana in global context

Botswana is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.

World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →

Other related entities

Angola (36,749,906)Benin (14,111,034)Burkina Faso (23,025,776)Burundi (13,689,450)Cabo Verde (522,331)All countries →

Country rankings

Populated Countries in the World Countries With Highest GDP Per Capita Countries With Highest Life Expectancy Countries With Highest Fertility Rates Countries With Highest Literacy Rates Urbanized Countries in the World Fastest Growing Countries by Population Countries With Highest Infant Mortality Countries With Highest Income Inequality Countries With Most International Tourism All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Botswana has a population of 2,480,244, ranking #26 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 1.64%.

Life expectancy in Botswana is 69.2 years. The infant mortality rate is 33.3 per 1,000 live births.

Botswana's GDP per capita is $7,826. It is classified as a upper middle income country by the World Bank.

67.0% of Botswana's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 4.4 people per square kilometer.

Literacy data for Botswana is available from the World Bank.

Sources: World Bank Open Data

International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.

Botswana is a country in Sub-Saharan Africa with a population of 2,480,244. The population is expanding fast — roughly 1.6% annually.

Botswana is a Upper middle income economy, with GDP per capita near $7,826. Life expectancy is 69.2 years, below the global average, with a fertility rate of 2.7 births per woman, and 67.0% of the population lives in urban areas.

Source: World Bank Open Data, 2026.