Rural population in Botswana
Botswana: Rural population was 26.5% in 2024. βΌ Falling
Rural population in Botswana, 1970β2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Botswana is 26.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Botswana peaked at 92.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 26.5%, in 2024.
That places Botswana 135th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 88.4% | 84.5% | 92.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 73.8% | 61.4% | 83.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.8% | 47.6% | 58.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.7% | 39.1% | 46.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.4% | 29.8% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.8% | 26.5% | 29.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 132 Dominica 27.7% compare
- 133 New Caledonia 26.9% compare
- 134 Hungary 26.8% compare
- 136 Switzerland 25.7% compare
- 137 Czechia 25.3% compare
- 138 Equatorial Guinea, Republic of 25.1% compare
More population data for Botswana
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.16 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 208,485 (2100)
- Population density 6.77 (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.16 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6864 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 3,679 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.39 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 2.7 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 816 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Botswana?
- Rural population in Botswana was 26.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 92.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.5% in 2024.
- How does Botswana rank for rural population?
- Botswana ranks 135th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. 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 Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release