Botswana has a population density of 11.5 people per square mile compared to 706 people in the Gambia. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 44,070 sq ft in the Gambia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Botswana and the Gambia are ranked 190th and 37th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.03% of the population and 0.007% of the land area for the Gambia, hence the population density in Botswana is 98.4% lower than in the Gambia.
Population density comparison
Botswana
|
Gambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.5 ppl/mi² | 706 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | 37/197 |
| Population |
2595266
|
2871879
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 3,907 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,419,633 sq ft | 39,468 sq ft |
| Rural population | 26.5% | 34.9% |
| Urban population | 73.5% | 65.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Botswana vs the Gambia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Botswana increased by 39.5%, compared to a 70.2% growth in the Gambia.
In 2004, Botswana ranked 187th for population density and is in 190th place now. The Gambia was 51st in 2004 and ranks 37th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
Gambia
|
|
| 2024 | 11.5 | 706 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 690 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 675 |
| 2021 | 11 | 659 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 644 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 629 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 614 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 599 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 584 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 569 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 554 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 538 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 523 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 508 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 493 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 479 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 465 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 452 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 439 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 427 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 415 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 404 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 393 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 383 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 372 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 362 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 352 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 343 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 333 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 324 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 314 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 304 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 293.2 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 281.5 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 269.9 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 258.8 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 248.3 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 238.3 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 228.8 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 219.8 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 211.3 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 203.3 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 196 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 189.2 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 182.7 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 176.5 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 170.7 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 165.3 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 160.1 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 155.3 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 150.8 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 146.4 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 142.1 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 138 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 134.1 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 130.4 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 126.8 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 123.3 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 119.9 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 116.7 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 113.6 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 110.5 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 107.5 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 104.7 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
Gambia
|
|
| 2024 | 73.5% | 65.1% |
| 2023 | 72.9% | 64.5% |
| 2022 | 72.2% | 63.9% |
| 2021 | 71.6% | 63.2% |
| 2020 | 70.9% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 70.2% | 61.9% |
| 2018 | 69.4% | 61.3% |
| 2017 | 68.7% | 60.6% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | 59.9% |
| 2015 | 67.2% | 59.2% |
| 2014 | 66.4% | 58.5% |
| 2013 | 65.6% | 57.8% |
| 2012 | 64.8% | 57.1% |
| 2011 | 63.9% | 56.4% |
| 2010 | 62.4% | 55.7% |
| 2009 | 60.9% | 54.9% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | 54.2% |
| 2007 | 57.9% | 53.5% |
| 2006 | 56.4% | 52.8% |
| 2005 | 55.9% | 52% |
| 2004 | 55.5% | 51.3% |
| 2003 | 55% | 50.6% |
| 2002 | 54.6% | 49.7% |
| 2001 | 54.1% | 48.8% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 47.9% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 47% |
| 1998 | 51.5% | 46.1% |
| 1997 | 50.7% | 45.2% |
| 1996 | 49.8% | 44.3% |
| 1995 | 49% | 43.4% |
| 1994 | 48.1% | 42.5% |
| 1993 | 47.3% | 41.6% |
| 1992 | 46.4% | 40.5% |
| 1991 | 45.3% | 39.4% |
| 1990 | 41.9% | 38.3% |
| 1989 | 38.6% | 37.2% |
| 1988 | 35.5% | 36.2% |
| 1987 | 32.4% | 35.1% |
| 1986 | 29.5% | 34% |
| 1985 | 26.7% | 33% |
| 1984 | 24.1% | 32% |
| 1983 | 21.7% | 31% |
| 1982 | 19.5% | 30.1% |
| 1981 | 17.6% | 29.3% |
| 1980 | 16.5% | 28.4% |
| 1979 | 15.5% | 27.6% |
| 1978 | 14.5% | 26.8% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | 26% |
| 1976 | 12.7% | 25.2% |
| 1975 | 11.9% | 24.4% |
| 1974 | 11.1% | 23.7% |
| 1973 | 10.4% | 22.9% |
| 1972 | 9.69% | 21.8% |
| 1971 | 9% | 20.6% |
| 1970 | 7.83% | 19.5% |
| 1969 | 6.81% | 18.4% |
| 1968 | 5.91% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 5.12% | 16.4% |
| 1966 | 4.44% | 15.4% |
| 1965 | 3.84% | 14.5% |
| 1964 | 3.32% | 13.7% |
| 1963 | 3.17% | 12.9% |
| 1962 | 3.13% | 12.5% |
| 1961 | 3.1% | 12.3% |
| 1960 | 3.06% | 12.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 55.5% to 73.5% in Botswana and from 51.3% to 65.1% in the Gambia.
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
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