Annual population growth in Botswana
Botswana: Annual population growth was 40,347 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
40,347
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
116th
of 236 countries
All-time high
52,508
in 1979
All-time low
3,036
in 1968
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in Botswana, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 40,347 for annual population growth in 2023.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population growth in Botswana peaked at 52,508 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3,036, in 1968.
Botswana ranks 116th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual population growth in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 9,860 | — |
| 1952 | 10,151 | +3.0% |
| 1953 | 10,260 | +1.1% |
| 1954 | 10,072 | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 9,884 | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 9,850 | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 10,013 | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 10,314 | +3.0% |
| 1959 | 10,771 | +4.4% |
| 1960 | 11,291 | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 11,778 | +4.3% |
| 1962 | 12,237 | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 12,788 | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 13,305 | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 8,388 | -37.0% |
| 1966 | 3,206 | -61.8% |
| 1967 | 3,062 | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 3,036 | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 3,104 | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 3,260 | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 10,150 | +211.3% |
| 1972 | 21,928 | +116.0% |
| 1973 | 30,004 | +36.8% |
| 1974 | 33,035 | +10.1% |
| 1975 | 34,934 | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 38,125 | +9.1% |
| 1977 | 41,073 | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 49,659 | +20.9% |
| 1979 | 52,508 | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 35,739 | -31.9% |
| 1981 | 32,510 | -9.0% |
| 1982 | 39,270 | +20.8% |
| 1983 | 36,875 | -6.1% |
| 1984 | 37,517 | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 38,289 | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 38,701 | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 38,525 | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 36,308 | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 34,791 | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 35,420 | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 36,068 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 38,271 | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 40,082 | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 39,910 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 38,812 | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 37,075 | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 35,783 | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 35,206 | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 35,100 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 35,378 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 34,880 | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 32,501 | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 30,979 | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 31,409 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 32,728 | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 34,645 | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 36,674 | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 38,773 | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 40,698 | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 42,439 | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 40,428 | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 35,079 | -13.2% |
| 2013 | 32,070 | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 31,366 | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 31,223 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 31,508 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 31,965 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 32,400 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 32,933 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 33,813 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 35,553 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 38,447 | +8.1% |
| 2023 | 40,347 | +4.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 40,347 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28,200, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 40,347 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940, 11% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +211.3% | 3,260 | 10,150 |
| 1972 | +116.0% | 10,150 | 21,928 |
| 1966 | -61.8% | 8,388 | 3,206 |
| 1965 | -37.0% | 13,305 | 8,388 |
| 1973 | +36.8% | 21,928 | 30,004 |
| 1980 | -31.9% | 52,508 | 35,739 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10,131 | 9,850 | 10,771 | 9 |
| 1960s | 8,220 | 3,036 | 13,305 | 10 |
| 1970s | 31,468 | 3,260 | 52,508 | 10 |
| 1980s | 36,852 | 32,510 | 39,270 | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,173 | 35,100 | 40,082 | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,866 | 30,979 | 40,698 | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,141 | 31,223 | 42,439 | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,040 | 33,813 | 40,347 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More population data for Botswana
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.7791 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0624 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 3,679 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6864 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.16 (2100)
- Population density 6.77 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 208,485 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in Botswana?
- Annual population growth in Botswana was 40,347 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 52,508 in 1979.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,036 in 1968.
- How does Botswana rank for annual population growth?
- Botswana ranks 116th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).