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Population density: Botswana vs France compared

Updated on by Georank team

Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 330 people in France. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 101,089 sq ft in France. Botswana and France rank 190th and 75th 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 0.84% of the population and 0.36% of the land area for France, making the population density in Botswana 96.4% lower than in France.

Population density by year

Botswana
France

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Botswana France
2026 11.9 330
2025 11.7 330
2024 11.5 329
2023 11.3 329
2022 11.2 328
2021 11 326
2020 10.8 325
2019 10.7 324
2018 10.5 323
2017 10.4 322
2016 10.2 321
2015 10.1 320
2014 9.93 319
2013 9.78 317
2012 9.64 316
2011 9.48 314
2010 9.29 312
2009 9.1 311
2008 8.91 309
2007 8.73 308
2006 8.57 306
2005 8.41 304
2004 8.26 301
2003 8.12 299.1
2002 7.97 297
2001 7.83 294.9
2000 7.67 292.8
1999 7.5 290.7
1998 7.34 289.3
1997 7.18 288.2
1996 7.02 287.2
1995 6.85 286.1
1994 6.67 285.1
1993 6.49 284
1992 6.31 282.8
1991 6.13 281.4
1990 5.97 280
1989 5.81 278.5
1988 5.65 276.8
1987 5.48 275.2
1986 5.3 273.7
1985 5.13 272.3
1984 4.95 271
1983 4.78 269.6
1982 4.61 268.2
1981 4.43 267.2
1980 4.28 265.6
1979 4.12 264.2
1978 3.88 263
1977 3.65 261.8
1976 3.47 260.6
1975 3.29 259.5
1974 3.13 258.3
1973 2.98 256.6
1972 2.84 254.5
1971 2.74 252.3
1970 2.7 249.9
1969 2.68 247.7
1968 2.67 245.6
1967 2.65 243.8
1966 2.64 241.8
1965 2.63 239.7
1964 2.59 237.4
1963 2.53 234.9
1962 2.47 232.5
1961 2.41 230.2

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/france | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 8.08% growth in France.

In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. France was 67th in 2006 and ranks 75th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Botswana
France
1x
Year Urban population
Botswana France
2024 67.5% 78.8%
2023 67% 78.8%
2022 66.6% 78.8%
2021 66.5% 78.7%
2020 66.4% 78.7%
2019 66.3% 78.7%
2018 66.2% 78.7%
2017 65.9% 78.6%
2016 65.7% 78.6%
2015 65.4% 77.8%
2014 65.1% 77.4%
2013 64.8% 77.2%
2012 64.4% 77.2%
2011 64% 77.1%
2010 63.5% 77.1%
2009 62.8% 77.1%
2008 61.8% 77.2%
2007 60.8% 77.2%
2006 59.6% 77.3%
2005 58.5% 77.4%
2004 57.3% 77.5%
2003 56.1% 77.5%
2002 55% 77.3%
2001 54% 76.9%
2000 53.2% 76.5%
1999 52.4% 76.2%
1998 51.7% 75.9%
1997 51.1% 75.6%
1996 50.4% 75.4%
1995 49.6% 75.1%
1994 48.8% 74.8%
1993 47.9% 74.6%
1992 46.8% 74.4%
1991 45.5% 74.2%
1990 43.6% 74.1%
1989 40.9% 73.9%
1988 37.6% 73.8%
1987 33.9% 73.7%
1986 30% 73.6%
1985 26.2% 73.6%
1984 22.6% 73.5%
1983 19.6% 73.4%
1982 17.2% 73.4%
1981 15.8% 73.3%
1980 14.9% 73.2%
1979 14.2% 73.2%
1978 13.6% 73.2%
1977 13.1% 73.1%
1976 12.6% 73.1%
1975 12.1% 73%
1974 11.7% 72.9%
1973 11.1% 72.7%
1972 10.6% 72.3%
1971 9.89% 71.9%
1970 9% 71.4%
1969 7.93% 70.8%
1968 6.78% 70.2%
1967 5.65% 69.5%
1966 4.63% 68.4%
1965 3.83% 67.2%
1964 3.37% 65.9%
1963 3.22% 64.6%
1962 3.14% 63.5%
1961 3.07% 62.5%
1960 3% 61.7%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/france | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.3% to 67.5% in Botswana and from 77.5% to 78.8% in France.

Densely populated cities

Botswana
City Population
Gaborone 236K
Francistown 103K
Molepolole 67.6K
France
City Population
Paris 2.11M
Marseille 886K
Lyon 519K
Toulouse 515K
Nice 358K
Nantes 328K
Montpellier 310K
Strasbourg 294K
Bordeaux 268K
Lille 238K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/france | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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