Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Botswana and China rank 190th and 67th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Botswana has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.38% of all countries' land area, compared to 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of the land area for China, making the population density in Botswana 96.9% lower than in China.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Botswana
|
China
|
|
| 2026 | 11.9 | 387 |
| 2025 | 11.7 | 388 |
| 2024 | 11.5 | 389 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 389 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 390 |
| 2021 | 11 | 390 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 389 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 388 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 387 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 385 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 383 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 381 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 378 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 376 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 374 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 371 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 369 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 367 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 365 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 364 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 362 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 360 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 358 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 355 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 353 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 351 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 348 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 346 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 343 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 339 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 336 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 332 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 329 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 325 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 321 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 317 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 313 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 309 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 304 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 299.1 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 294.3 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 290 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 286 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 282.3 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 278.3 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 274.2 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 270.7 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 267.3 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 263.8 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 260.3 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 256.8 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 252.8 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 248.4 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 243.3 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 237.8 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 232 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 225.8 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 219.6 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 213.7 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 208.2 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 202.9 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 197.3 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 192.7 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 188.2 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 183.7 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 182.2 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/china | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.
In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Botswana
|
China
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.9 ppl/mi² | 387 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | 67/197 |
| Population |
2615162
|
1402578808
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 3,624,808 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,419,633 sq ft | 71,722 sq ft |
| Rural population | 32.5% | 34.1% |
| Urban population | 67.5% | 65.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 95.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
China
|
|
| 2024 | 67.5% | 65.9% |
| 2023 | 67% | 65.5% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | 65.2% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | 64.7% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | 63.5% |
| 2019 | 66.3% | 62.7% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | 61.5% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | 60.2% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | 58.8% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | 57.3% |
| 2014 | 65.1% | 55.8% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | 54.5% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | 53.1% |
| 2011 | 64% | 51.8% |
| 2010 | 63.5% | 49.2% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | 48.3% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 47% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | 45.9% |
| 2006 | 59.6% | 44.3% |
| 2005 | 58.5% | 43% |
| 2004 | 57.3% | 41.8% |
| 2003 | 56.1% | 40.5% |
| 2002 | 55% | 39.1% |
| 2001 | 54% | 37.7% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 36.4% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 34.8% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | 33.4% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | 31.9% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | 30.5% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | 29% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | 28.5% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | 28% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | 27.5% |
| 1991 | 45.5% | 26.9% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | 26.2% |
| 1989 | 40.9% | 26.2% |
| 1988 | 37.6% | 25.8% |
| 1987 | 33.9% | 25.3% |
| 1986 | 30% | 24.5% |
| 1985 | 26.2% | 23.7% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | 23% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | 21.6% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | 20.6% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | 20.2% |
| 1980 | 14.9% | 19.4% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | 19% |
| 1978 | 13.6% | 17.9% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | 17.6% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | 17.4% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | 17.3% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 17.2% |
| 1973 | 11.1% | 17.2% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | 17.1% |
| 1971 | 9.89% | 17.3% |
| 1970 | 9% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 7.93% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 6.78% | 17.6% |
| 1967 | 5.65% | 17.7% |
| 1966 | 4.63% | 17.9% |
| 1965 | 3.83% | 18% |
| 1964 | 3.37% | 18.3% |
| 1963 | 3.22% | 16.8% |
| 1962 | 3.14% | 17.3% |
| 1961 | 3.07% | 19.3% |
| 1960 | 3% | 19.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/china | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.3% to 67.5% in Botswana and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/china | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.