Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana
Botswana: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 1.74 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.74 million people
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
139th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.74 million people
in 2025
All-time low
11,170 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people 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 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana is 1.74 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana peaked at 1.74 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11,170 people, in 1950.
Botswana ranks 139th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11,170 people | — |
| 1951 | 11,448 people | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 11,760 people | +2.7% |
| 1953 | 12,102 people | +2.9% |
| 1954 | 12,470 people | +3.0% |
| 1955 | 12,865 people | +3.2% |
| 1956 | 13,294 people | +3.3% |
| 1957 | 13,764 people | +3.5% |
| 1958 | 14,283 people | +3.8% |
| 1959 | 14,858 people | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 15,494 people | +4.3% |
| 1961 | 16,195 people | +4.5% |
| 1962 | 16,964 people | +4.7% |
| 1963 | 17,806 people | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 19,106 people | +7.3% |
| 1965 | 22,031 people | +15.3% |
| 1966 | 26,761 people | +21.5% |
| 1967 | 32,798 people | +22.6% |
| 1968 | 39,584 people | +20.7% |
| 1969 | 46,553 people | +17.6% |
| 1970 | 53,131 people | +14.1% |
| 1971 | 59,362 people | +11.7% |
| 1972 | 65,796 people | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 72,723 people | +10.5% |
| 1974 | 79,862 people | +9.8% |
| 1975 | 87,277 people | +9.3% |
| 1976 | 95,354 people | +9.3% |
| 1977 | 104,346 people | +9.4% |
| 1978 | 115,357 people | +10.6% |
| 1979 | 128,075 people | +11.0% |
| 1980 | 140,061 people | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 153,394 people | +9.5% |
| 1982 | 173,916 people | +13.4% |
| 1983 | 204,693 people | +17.7% |
| 1984 | 245,093 people | +19.7% |
| 1985 | 293,542 people | +19.8% |
| 1986 | 348,038 people | +18.6% |
| 1987 | 406,107 people | +16.7% |
| 1988 | 464,316 people | +14.3% |
| 1989 | 519,734 people | +11.9% |
| 1990 | 569,878 people | +9.6% |
| 1991 | 611,031 people | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 645,835 people | +5.7% |
| 1993 | 679,756 people | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 712,393 people | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 743,600 people | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 773,397 people | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 802,386 people | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 831,391 people | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 861,154 people | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 892,447 people | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 925,456 people | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 959,869 people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 996,151 people | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 1.03 million people | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 1.08 million people | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 1.12 million people | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 1.16 million people | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 1.21 million people | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 1.25 million people | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.29 million people | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 1.33 million people | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 1.36 million people | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 1.39 million people | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 1.41 million people | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 1.44 million people | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.47 million people | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.49 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.52 million people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 1.55 million people | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.57 million people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.60 million people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 1.62 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 1.66 million people | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.70 million people | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 1.74 million people | +2.4% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 1.74 million people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.47 million people, 39% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 1.74 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 36% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12,801 people | 11,170 people | 14,858 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 25,329 people | 15,494 people | 46,553 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 86,128 people | 53,131 people | 128,075 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 294,889 people | 140,061 people | 519,734 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 723,082 people | 569,878 people | 861,154 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.06 million people | 892,447 people | 1.25 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.42 million people | 1.29 million people | 1.55 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.65 million people | 1.57 million people | 1.74 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More population data for Botswana
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0624 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 208,485 people (2100)
- Population density 6.77 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Botswana was 1.74 million people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 1.74 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,170 people in 1950.
- How does Botswana rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Botswana ranks 139th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.8%. 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.