Botswana has a population density of 11.5 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Botswana ranked 190th out of 197.
Botswana has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.38% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Botswana compared to the World's average
Botswana
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.5 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | N/A |
| Population |
2595266
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,419,633 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 26.5% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 73.5% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Botswana population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Botswana has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 39.5%. The population density rank was 187th 21 years ago and is 190th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11.5 | 190 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 190 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 190 |
| 2021 | 11 | 190 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 190 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 190 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 190 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 190 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 190 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 189 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 189 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 190 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 190 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 188 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 188 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 188 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 188 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 188 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 188 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 186 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 187 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 187 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 187 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 187 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 187 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 184 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 184 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 184 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 184 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 185 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 185 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 185 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 181 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 162 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 160 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 159 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 159 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 160 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 160 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 160 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 160 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 160 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 160 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 160 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 160 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 160 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 160 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 160 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 160 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 160 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 160 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 161 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 161 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 161 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 161 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 160 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 160 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 160 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 160 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 160 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 159 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 159 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 159 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 159 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Botswana from 1960 to 2024: 3.06% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 53.2% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 73.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 73.5% | 68 |
| 2023 | 72.9% | 68 |
| 2022 | 72.2% | 69 |
| 2021 | 71.6% | 69 |
| 2020 | 70.9% | 72 |
| 2019 | 70.2% | 72 |
| 2018 | 69.4% | 72 |
| 2017 | 68.7% | 75 |
| 2016 | 67.9% | 78 |
| 2015 | 67.2% | 79 |
| 2014 | 66.4% | 81 |
| 2013 | 65.6% | 82 |
| 2012 | 64.8% | 83 |
| 2011 | 63.9% | 83 |
| 2010 | 62.4% | 86 |
| 2009 | 60.9% | 90 |
| 2008 | 59.4% | 91 |
| 2007 | 57.9% | 94 |
| 2006 | 56.4% | 97 |
| 2005 | 55.9% | 97 |
| 2004 | 55.5% | 98 |
| 2003 | 55% | 98 |
| 2002 | 54.6% | 98 |
| 2001 | 54.1% | 98 |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 100 |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 103 |
| 1998 | 51.5% | 102 |
| 1997 | 50.7% | 104 |
| 1996 | 49.8% | 105 |
| 1995 | 49% | 106 |
| 1994 | 48.1% | 107 |
| 1993 | 47.3% | 107 |
| 1992 | 46.4% | 110 |
| 1991 | 45.3% | 110 |
| 1990 | 41.9% | 116 |
| 1989 | 38.6% | 126 |
| 1988 | 35.5% | 131 |
| 1987 | 32.4% | 139 |
| 1986 | 29.5% | 143 |
| 1985 | 26.7% | 147 |
| 1984 | 24.1% | 156 |
| 1983 | 21.7% | 158 |
| 1982 | 19.5% | 163 |
| 1981 | 17.6% | 169 |
| 1980 | 16.5% | 171 |
| 1979 | 15.5% | 172 |
| 1978 | 14.5% | 174 |
| 1977 | 13.6% | 176 |
| 1976 | 12.7% | 176 |
| 1975 | 11.9% | 177 |
| 1974 | 11.1% | 178 |
| 1973 | 10.4% | 179 |
| 1972 | 9.69% | 180 |
| 1971 | 9% | 182 |
| 1970 | 7.83% | 186 |
| 1969 | 6.81% | 187 |
| 1968 | 5.91% | 188 |
| 1967 | 5.12% | 191 |
| 1966 | 4.44% | 191 |
| 1965 | 3.84% | 191 |
| 1964 | 3.32% | 192 |
| 1963 | 3.17% | 192 |
| 1962 | 3.13% | 192 |
| 1961 | 3.1% | 192 |
| 1960 | 3.06% | 192 |
Densely populated cities
|
Botswana
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Gaborone | 236K |
| Francistown | 103K |
| Molepolole | 67.6K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Botswana topic pages:
Population density comparisons
