Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 133.1 people in the DR Congo. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 230,973 sq ft in the DR Congo. Botswana and the DR Congo rank 190th and 138th 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 1.34% of the population and 1.52% of the land area for the DR Congo, making the population density in Botswana 91.1% lower than in the DR Congo.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Botswana
|
DR Congo
|
|
| 2026 | 11.9 | 133.1 |
| 2025 | 11.7 | 128.9 |
| 2024 | 11.5 | 124.8 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 120.9 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 117 |
| 2021 | 11 | 113.3 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 109.7 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 106.2 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 102.9 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 99.5 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 95.9 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 92.6 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 89.6 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 86.6 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 83.7 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 80.9 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 78.3 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 75.9 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 73.6 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 71.4 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 69.3 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 67.1 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 65.1 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 63.2 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 61.4 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 59.6 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 57.7 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 55.9 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 54 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 52.6 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 51.7 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 50.8 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 48.7 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 46.4 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 44.8 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 43.3 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 41.9 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 40.5 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 39.3 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 38 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 36.9 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 35.7 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 34.6 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 33.4 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 32.4 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 31.4 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 30.5 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 29.6 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 28.6 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 27.7 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 27 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 26.3 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 25.6 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 24.9 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 24.3 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 23.6 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 23 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 22.4 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 21.7 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 21.1 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 20.5 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 19.9 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 19.4 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 18.9 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 18.4 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 17.9 |
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/dr-congo | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 92.2% growth in the DR Congo.
In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. The DR Congo was 150th in 2006 and ranks 138th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Botswana
|
DR Congo
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.9 ppl/mi² | 133.1 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | 138/197 |
| Population |
2615162
|
117507801
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 875,313 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,419,633 sq ft | 223,309 sq ft |
| Rural population | 32.5% | 55.3% |
| Urban population | 67.5% | 44.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 20.1% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
DR Congo
|
|
| 2024 | 67.5% | 44.7% |
| 2023 | 67% | 44.4% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | 44% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | 43.6% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | 43.3% |
| 2019 | 66.3% | 42.9% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | 42.5% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | 42.1% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | 41.7% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | 41.3% |
| 2014 | 65.1% | 41% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | 40.6% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | 40.2% |
| 2011 | 64% | 39.8% |
| 2010 | 63.5% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | 39% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 38.6% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | 38.2% |
| 2006 | 59.6% | 37.8% |
| 2005 | 58.5% | 37.4% |
| 2004 | 57.3% | 37% |
| 2003 | 56.1% | 36.5% |
| 2002 | 55% | 35.9% |
| 2001 | 54% | 35.4% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 34.9% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 34.4% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | 33.9% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | 33.4% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | 32.9% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | 32.5% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | 32% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | 31.5% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | 31.1% |
| 1991 | 45.5% | 30.7% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | 30.3% |
| 1989 | 40.9% | 29.9% |
| 1988 | 37.6% | 29.5% |
| 1987 | 33.9% | 29.1% |
| 1986 | 30% | 28.8% |
| 1985 | 26.2% | 28.4% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | 28.1% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | 27.8% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | 27.5% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | 27.2% |
| 1980 | 14.9% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | 26.5% |
| 1978 | 13.6% | 26.2% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | 25.9% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | 25.6% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | 25.4% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 25.1% |
| 1973 | 11.1% | 24.8% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | 24.5% |
| 1971 | 9.89% | 24.3% |
| 1970 | 9% | 24% |
| 1969 | 7.93% | 23.8% |
| 1968 | 6.78% | 23.6% |
| 1967 | 5.65% | 23.4% |
| 1966 | 4.63% | 23.2% |
| 1965 | 3.83% | 23% |
| 1964 | 3.37% | 22.8% |
| 1963 | 3.22% | 22.7% |
| 1962 | 3.14% | 22.5% |
| 1961 | 3.07% | 22.4% |
| 1960 | 3% | 22.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/dr-congo | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.3% to 67.5% in Botswana and from 37% to 44.7% in the DR Congo.
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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/dr-congo | CC BY
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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)
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