Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Botswana
Botswana: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.73 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.73 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
65th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.61 births per woman
in 1974
All-time low
2.73 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Fertility rate, total in Botswana, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in Botswana is 2.73 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Botswana peaked at 6.61 births per woman in 1974 and was at its lowest, 2.73 births per woman, in 2023.
That places Botswana 65th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.55 births per woman | — |
| 1971 | 6.54 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 6.56 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 6.59 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 6.61 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 6.61 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 6.6 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 6.54 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 6.48 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 6.39 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 6.29 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 6.16 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 5.97 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 5.79 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 5.62 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 5.48 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 5.33 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 5.1 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 1988 | 4.88 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 4.67 births per woman | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 4.51 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 4.37 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 4.25 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 4.15 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 4.02 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 3.79 births per woman | -5.7% |
| 1996 | 3.57 births per woman | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 3.43 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 3.36 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 3.31 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 3.29 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 3.25 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 3.17 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 3.11 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.06 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 3.08 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 3.11 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 3.13 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 3.13 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 3.13 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 3.13 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 3.1 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 3.07 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 3.04 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 3.03 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 3.01 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 2.99 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 2.97 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 2.94 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 2.91 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.86 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 2.83 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.79 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.73 births per woman | -1.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 2.73 births per woman is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.86 births per woman, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 2.73 births per woman is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4 births per woman, 68% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.55 births per woman | 6.39 births per woman | 6.61 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.53 births per woman | 4.67 births per woman | 6.29 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.88 births per woman | 3.31 births per woman | 4.51 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.15 births per woman | 3.06 births per woman | 3.29 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.02 births per woman | 2.91 births per woman | 3.13 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8 births per woman | 2.73 births per woman | 2.86 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 62 Eswatini 2.75 births per woman compare
- 63 Egypt 2.75 births per woman compare
- 64 Micronesia (country) 2.75 births per woman compare
- 66 Saint Martin (French Part) 2.72 births per woman compare
- 67 Syria 2.71 births per woman compare
- 68 East Timor 2.71 births per woman compare
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 fertility rate, total in Botswana?
- Fertility rate, total in Botswana was 2.73 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 6.61 births per woman in 1974.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.73 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Botswana rank for fertility rate, total?
- Botswana ranks 65th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release