Population, total in Botswana
Botswana: Population, total was 2.56 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.56 million
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
143rd
of 218 countries
All-time high
2.56 million
in 2025
All-time low
516,165
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Botswana, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Botswana recorded 2.56 million for population, total in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Botswana peaked at 2.56 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 516,165, in 1960.
Botswana ranks 143rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, total in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 516,165 | — |
| 1961 | 527,942 | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 540,186 | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 552,966 | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 566,266 | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 574,664 | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 577,866 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 580,933 | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 583,966 | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 587,066 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 590,334 | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 600,481 | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 622,407 | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 652,408 | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 685,448 | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 720,380 | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 758,508 | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 799,574 | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 849,239 | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 901,742 | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 937,485 | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 969,996 | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 1.01 million | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 1.05 million | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 1.08 million | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 1.12 million | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 1.16 million | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 1.20 million | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 1.24 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 1.27 million | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 1.31 million | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 1.34 million | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 1.38 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.42 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 1.46 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 1.50 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 1.54 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 1.57 million | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 1.61 million | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 1.64 million | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 1.68 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 1.71 million | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 1.74 million | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.78 million | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 1.81 million | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 1.84 million | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 1.87 million | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 1.91 million | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 1.95 million | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 1.99 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 2.03 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 2.07 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 2.11 million | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 2.14 million | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.17 million | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 2.20 million | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 2.23 million | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.27 million | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 2.30 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 2.33 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 2.37 million | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 2.40 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 2.44 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 2.48 million | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 2.52 million | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 2.56 million | +1.6% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 2.56 million is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.55 million, 39% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 2.56 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 17% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 560,802 | 516,165 | 587,066 | 10 |
| 1970s | 718,052 | 590,334 | 901,742 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.10 million | 937,485 | 1.27 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.48 million | 1.31 million | 1.64 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.83 million | 1.68 million | 1.99 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.19 million | 2.03 million | 2.33 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.46 million | 2.37 million | 2.56 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More climate change data for Botswana
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 17.55 million kg (2023)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,640 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,846 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 137.34 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 17.36 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 14.07 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0531 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total in Botswana?
- Population, total in Botswana was 2.56 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 2.56 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 516,165 in 1960.
- How does Botswana rank for population, total?
- Botswana ranks 143rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.