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Population density: Botswana vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Botswana and South Korea rank 190th and 18th 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 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, making the population density in Botswana 99.1% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Botswana
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Botswana South Korea
2026 11.9 1,371
2025 11.7 1,372
2024 11.5 1,373
2023 11.3 1,372
2022 11.2 1,371
2021 11 1,374
2020 10.8 1,376
2019 10.7 1,374
2018 10.5 1,370
2017 10.4 1,364
2016 10.2 1,361
2015 10.1 1,356
2014 9.93 1,349
2013 9.78 1,341
2012 9.64 1,336
2011 9.48 1,331
2010 9.29 1,320
2009 9.1 1,316
2008 8.91 1,310
2007 8.73 1,301
2006 8.57 1,295
2005 8.41 1,289
2004 8.26 1,286
2003 8.12 1,281
2002 7.97 1,275
2001 7.83 1,268
2000 7.67 1,262
1999 7.5 1,252
1998 7.34 1,243
1997 7.18 1,234
1996 7.02 1,222
1995 6.85 1,211
1994 6.67 1,199
1993 6.49 1,187
1992 6.31 1,175
1991 6.13 1,163
1990 5.97 1,151
1989 5.81 1,140
1988 5.65 1,129
1987 5.48 1,118
1986 5.3 1,107
1985 5.13 1,096
1984 4.95 1,085
1983 4.78 1,072
1982 4.61 1,056
1981 4.43 1,040
1980 4.28 1,024
1979 4.12 1,008
1978 3.88 993
1977 3.65 978
1976 3.47 963
1975 3.29 947
1974 3.13 932
1973 2.98 916
1972 2.84 900
1971 2.74 883
1970 2.7 866
1969 2.68 847
1968 2.67 828
1967 2.65 809
1966 2.64 790
1965 2.63 771
1964 2.59 751
1963 2.53 732
1962 2.47 712
1961 2.41 692

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/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Botswana
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Botswana South Korea
2024 67.5% 81.2%
2023 67% 81.2%
2022 66.6% 81.2%
2021 66.5% 81.2%
2020 66.4% 81.2%
2019 66.3% 81.3%
2018 66.2% 81.4%
2017 65.9% 81.5%
2016 65.7% 81.6%
2015 65.4% 81.6%
2014 65.1% 81.7%
2013 64.8% 81.8%
2012 64.4% 81.9%
2011 64% 82%
2010 63.5% 82%
2009 62.8% 81.9%
2008 61.8% 81.8%
2007 60.8% 81.7%
2006 59.6% 81.6%
2005 58.5% 81.4%
2004 57.3% 81.1%
2003 56.1% 80.7%
2002 55% 80.3%
2001 54% 79.9%
2000 53.2% 79.6%
1999 52.4% 79.4%
1998 51.7% 79.2%
1997 51.1% 79%
1996 50.4% 78.8%
1995 49.6% 78.4%
1994 48.8% 77.9%
1993 47.9% 77.1%
1992 46.8% 76.2%
1991 45.5% 75.2%
1990 43.6% 74%
1989 40.9% 72.5%
1988 37.6% 70.6%
1987 33.9% 68.6%
1986 30% 66.6%
1985 26.2% 64.8%
1984 22.6% 63.1%
1983 19.6% 61.5%
1982 17.2% 60%
1981 15.8% 58.3%
1980 14.9% 56.7%
1979 14.2% 54.9%
1978 13.6% 53.1%
1977 13.1% 51.3%
1976 12.6% 49.6%
1975 12.1% 48%
1974 11.7% 46.5%
1973 11.1% 45.1%
1972 10.6% 43.8%
1971 9.89% 42.3%
1970 9% 40.7%
1969 7.93% 38.7%
1968 6.78% 36.5%
1967 5.65% 34.6%
1966 4.63% 33.1%
1965 3.83% 32%
1964 3.37% 31%
1963 3.22% 30.1%
1962 3.14% 29.2%
1961 3.07% 28.4%
1960 3% 27.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/south-korea | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.3% to 67.5% in Botswana and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Botswana
City Population
Gaborone 236K
Francistown 103K
Molepolole 67.6K
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

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/south-korea | 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 (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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