Annual change in population in Botswana
Botswana: Annual change in population was 40,347 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
40,347 people
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
116th
of 236 countries
All-time high
52,508 people
in 1979
All-time low
3,036 people
in 1968
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Botswana, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 40,347 people for annual change in population 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 change in population in Botswana peaked at 52,508 people in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3,036 people, 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 change in population in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 9,860 people | — |
| 1952 | 10,151 people | +3.0% |
| 1953 | 10,260 people | +1.1% |
| 1954 | 10,072 people | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 9,884 people | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 9,850 people | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 10,013 people | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 10,314 people | +3.0% |
| 1959 | 10,771 people | +4.4% |
| 1960 | 11,291 people | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 11,778 people | +4.3% |
| 1962 | 12,237 people | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 12,788 people | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 13,305 people | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 8,388 people | -37.0% |
| 1966 | 3,206 people | -61.8% |
| 1967 | 3,062 people | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 3,036 people | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 3,104 people | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 3,260 people | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 10,150 people | +211.3% |
| 1972 | 21,928 people | +116.0% |
| 1973 | 30,004 people | +36.8% |
| 1974 | 33,035 people | +10.1% |
| 1975 | 34,934 people | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 38,125 people | +9.1% |
| 1977 | 41,073 people | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 49,659 people | +20.9% |
| 1979 | 52,508 people | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 35,739 people | -31.9% |
| 1981 | 32,510 people | -9.0% |
| 1982 | 39,270 people | +20.8% |
| 1983 | 36,875 people | -6.1% |
| 1984 | 37,517 people | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 38,289 people | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 38,701 people | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 38,525 people | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 36,308 people | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 34,791 people | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 35,420 people | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 36,068 people | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 38,271 people | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 40,082 people | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 39,910 people | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 38,812 people | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 37,075 people | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 35,783 people | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 35,206 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 35,100 people | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 35,378 people | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 34,880 people | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 32,501 people | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 30,979 people | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 31,409 people | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 32,728 people | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 34,645 people | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 36,674 people | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 38,773 people | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 40,698 people | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 42,439 people | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 40,428 people | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 35,079 people | -13.2% |
| 2013 | 32,070 people | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 31,366 people | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 31,223 people | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 31,508 people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 31,965 people | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 32,400 people | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 32,933 people | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 33,813 people | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 35,553 people | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 38,447 people | +8.1% |
| 2023 | 40,347 people | +4.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 40,347 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28,200 people, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 40,347 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940 people, 11% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population 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 people | 10,150 people |
| 1972 | +116.0% | 10,150 people | 21,928 people |
| 1966 | -61.8% | 8,388 people | 3,206 people |
| 1965 | -37.0% | 13,305 people | 8,388 people |
| 1973 | +36.8% | 21,928 people | 30,004 people |
| 1980 | -31.9% | 52,508 people | 35,739 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10,131 people | 9,850 people | 10,771 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 8,220 people | 3,036 people | 13,305 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 31,468 people | 3,260 people | 52,508 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 36,852 people | 32,510 people | 39,270 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,173 people | 35,100 people | 40,082 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,866 people | 30,979 people | 40,698 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,141 people | 31,223 people | 42,439 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,040 people | 33,813 people | 40,347 people | 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)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 6.77 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 208,485 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Botswana?
- Annual change in population in Botswana was 40,347 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 52,508 people in 1979.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,036 people in 1968.
- How does Botswana rank for annual change in population?
- Botswana ranks 116th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. 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).
About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.