Botswana vs South Africa: Prevalence of HIV, total
Botswana
15.7%
in 2024
South Africa
17.2%
in 2024
Botswana rank
4th
South Africa rank
2nd
Prevalence of HIV, total over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 17.2% against 15.7% in Botswana, a difference of 1.5%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Botswana's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 35 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Botswana ahead.
Botswana ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 152 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.6% | 6.9% | 11.7% | Botswana |
| 2000s | 24.5% | 15.8% | 8.7% | Botswana |
| 2010s | 21.7% | 18.2% | 3.5% | Botswana |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 17.9% | 0.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prevalence of hiv, total, Botswana or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 17.2% against 15.7% in Botswana as of 2024.
- What is the difference in prevalence of hiv, total between Botswana and South Africa?
- 1.5%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2024.
- How do Botswana and South Africa rank globally for prevalence of hiv, total?
- Botswana ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 152 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release