Urban population growth in Botswana
Botswana: Urban population growth was 2.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Botswana, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Botswana is 2.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Botswana peaked at 20.3% in 1967 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2021.
Botswana ranks 62nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Botswana, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.4% | — |
| 1962 | 4.6% | +4.8% |
| 1963 | 4.8% | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 7.0% | +45.5% |
| 1965 | 14.2% | +102.1% |
| 1966 | 19.4% | +36.5% |
| 1967 | 20.3% | +4.6% |
| 1968 | 18.8% | -7.6% |
| 1969 | 16.2% | -13.8% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | -18.5% |
| 1971 | 11.1% | -16.1% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | -7.2% |
| 1973 | 10.0% | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 9.4% | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 8.9% | -5.2% |
| 1976 | 8.9% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 9.0% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 10.0% | +11.3% |
| 1979 | 10.5% | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 8.9% | -14.5% |
| 1981 | 9.1% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 12.6% | +38.1% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | +29.8% |
| 1984 | 18.0% | +10.5% |
| 1985 | 18.0% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 17.0% | -5.6% |
| 1987 | 15.4% | -9.4% |
| 1988 | 13.4% | -13.2% |
| 1989 | 11.3% | -15.8% |
| 1990 | 9.2% | -18.3% |
| 1991 | 7.0% | -24.3% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | -20.6% |
| 1993 | 5.1% | -7.6% |
| 1994 | 4.7% | -8.4% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | -8.6% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | -8.4% |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 3.5% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 3.7% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 3.9% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | -15.1% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -18.7% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -9.1% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +35.0% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 2.3% | +2.2% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 2.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.0%, 2.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 2.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.4%, 70% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | +102.1% | 7.0% | 14.2% |
| 1964 | +45.5% | 4.8% | 7.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.2% | 4.4% | 20.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.1% | 8.9% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 8.9% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.0% | 3.5% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 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 urban population growth in Botswana?
- Urban population growth in Botswana was 2.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 20.3% in 1967.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2021.
- How does Botswana rank for urban population growth?
- Botswana ranks 62nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.