Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana
Botswana: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 68.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
68.0%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
112th
of 236 countries
All-time high
68.0%
in 2025
All-time low
2.7%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 68.0% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana peaked at 68.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 1950.
That places Botswana 112th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.7% | — |
| 1951 | 2.7% | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 2.7% | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 2.8% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 2.8% | +1.2% |
| 1957 | 2.8% | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 2.9% | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 2.9% | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 3.0% | +2.0% |
| 1961 | 3.1% | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 3.1% | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 3.2% | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 3.4% | +4.8% |
| 1965 | 3.8% | +13.6% |
| 1966 | 4.6% | +20.8% |
| 1967 | 5.6% | +21.9% |
| 1968 | 6.8% | +20.1% |
| 1969 | 7.9% | +17.0% |
| 1970 | 9.0% | +13.5% |
| 1971 | 9.9% | +9.8% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 11.1% | +5.4% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 13.6% | +4.1% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 14.9% | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | +9.0% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | +13.5% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | +15.6% |
| 1985 | 26.2% | +15.7% |
| 1986 | 30.0% | +14.6% |
| 1987 | 33.9% | +12.9% |
| 1988 | 37.6% | +11.0% |
| 1989 | 40.9% | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | +6.7% |
| 1991 | 45.5% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 54.0% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 55.0% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 56.1% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 57.3% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 58.5% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 59.6% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 63.5% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 64.0% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 65.1% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 66.3% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 67.0% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 67.5% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 68.0% | +0.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 68.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 68.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.5% | 3.0% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.8% | 9.0% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.9% | 14.9% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.8% | 43.6% | 52.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.9% | 53.2% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.1% | 63.5% | 66.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.0% | 66.4% | 68.0% | 6 |
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 share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana was 68.0% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 68.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 1950.
- How does Botswana rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Botswana ranks 112th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.