Botswana Population (LIVE)

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Botswana Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Botswana is 2,593,760 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Botswana 2026 population is estimated at 2,603,388 people at mid-year.
  • Botswana population is equivalent to 0.031% of the total world population.
  • Botswana ranks number 146 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Botswana is 5 per Km² (12 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 566,730 Km² (218,816 sq. miles).
  • 76.09% of the population is urban (1,980,854 people in 2026)
  • The median age in Botswana is 23.7 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Botswana (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Botswana Global Rank
2026 2,603,388 1.61% 41,266 −4,169 23.7 2.63 5 76.1% 1,980,854 0.031% 8,300,678,395 146
2025 2,562,122 1.63% 40,983 −5,665 23.4 2.66 5 75.6% 1,937,024 0.031% 8,231,613,070 146
2024 2,521,139 1.65% 40,895 −5,778 23.2 2.7 4 75.1% 1,892,771 0.031% 8,161,972,572 146
2023 2,480,244 1.65% 40,352 −6,487 22.9 2.73 4 74.5% 1,848,155 0.031% 8,091,734,930 146
2022 2,439,892 1.55% 36,999 −7,306 22.6 2.79 4 73.9% 1,803,179 0.030% 8,021,407,192 145
2020 2,365,894 1.43% 32,524 −11,330 22.3 2.86 4 72.4% 1,712,212 0.030% 7,887,001,292 145
2015 2,203,273 1.62% 34,032 −9,599 21.7 3.01 4 67.3% 1,483,587 0.029% 7,470,491,872 145
2010 2,033,111 2.02% 38,647 5,151 21.5 3.13 4 61.9% 1,257,527 0.029% 7,021,732,148 146
2005 1,839,877 1.87% 32,499 4,283 20.1 3.08 3 56.4% 1,038,238 0.028% 6,586,970,132 147
2000 1,677,382 2.28% 35,709 9,798 18.7 3.29 3 54.8% 919,803 0.027% 6,171,702,993 147
1995 1,498,836 2.8% 38,628 9,464 17.1 3.79 3 51.3% 768,551 0.026% 5,758,878,982 147
1990 1,305,696 3.08% 36,750 2,580 16.1 4.51 2 44.3% 577,801 0.025% 5,327,803,110 148
1985 1,121,945 3.66% 36,892 2,683 15.7 5.48 2 28.3% 317,784 0.023% 4,868,943,465 148
1980 937,485 5.41% 43,421 −10,849 15.8 6.29 2 17.6% 164,984 0.021% 4,447,606,236 150
1975 720,380 4.06% 26,009 11,086 14.9 6.61 1 13.6% 98,144 0.018% 4,070,735,277 150
1970 590,334 0.54% 3,134 −16,054 14.4 6.55 1 9.2% 54,495 0.016% 3,694,683,794 152
1965 574,664 2.17% 11,700 −14,753 15.2 6.6 1 4% 22,923 0.017% 3,334,533,703 151
1960 516,165 2.16% 10,448 −4,331 16.7 6.59 1 3.1% 16,053 0.017% 3,015,470,894 151
1955 463,926 2.32% 10,046 −3,595 17.6 6.55 1 2.9% 13,543 0.017% 2,740,213,792 152

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Botswana Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Botswana Global Rank
2030 2,765,918 1.54% 40,759 −2,832 24.9 2.49 5 77.8% 2,151,354 0.032% 8,569,124,911 144
2035 2,954,414 1.33% 37,699 −2,569 26.3 2.35 5 79.6% 2,353,033 0.033% 8,885,210,181 140
2040 3,126,640 1.14% 34,445 −2,636 27.6 2.23 6 81.3% 2,540,719 0.034% 9,177,190,203 139
2045 3,285,301 0.99% 31,732 −1,617 28.9 2.15 6 82.6% 2,712,627 0.035% 9,439,639,668 139
2050 3,437,430 0.91% 30,426 −1,929 30.3 2.08 6 83.5% 2,870,743 0.036% 9,664,378,587 138

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Botswana Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
69.6 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
26.5

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
35.2

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Botswana

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Gaborone 254,517
2 Francistown 101,014
3 Molepolole 93,871
4 Lobatse 88,511
More info

See also


Notes

The Botswana Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Botswana delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Botswana (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Botswana in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.