Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Zambia. Botswana has 2,483,705 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. Botswana and Zambia rank 190th and 157th 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, making the population density in Botswana 84.8% lower than in Zambia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Botswana
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2026 | 11.9 | 78.5 |
| 2025 | 11.7 | 76.4 |
| 2024 | 11.5 | 74.3 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 72.2 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 70.2 |
| 2021 | 11 | 68.3 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 66.4 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 64.5 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 60.8 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 58.9 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 55.4 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 52 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 48.7 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 47 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 45.4 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 43.8 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 42.3 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 40.8 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 39.5 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 38.3 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 37.1 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 36 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 34.9 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 33.9 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 33 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 32.2 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 30.6 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 29.9 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 28.5 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 27.8 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 27.1 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 25.8 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 25.1 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 24.3 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 23.6 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 22.9 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 22.2 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 21.5 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 20.8 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 20.2 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 19.6 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 19 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 17.9 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 17.4 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 16.9 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 15.9 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 15.5 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 15.1 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 14.6 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 14.2 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 13.7 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 13.3 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 12.9 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 12.1 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 11.7 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 11.3 |
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/zambia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 85.7% growth in Zambia.
In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. Zambia was 164th in 2006 and ranks 157th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Botswana
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.9 ppl/mi² | 78.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | 157/197 |
| Population |
2615162
|
22697916
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 287,024 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,419,633 sq ft | 375,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 32.5% | 54.5% |
| Urban population | 67.5% | 45.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 10.9% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 67.5% | 45.5% |
| 2023 | 67% | 45% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | 44.6% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | 44.2% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | 43.9% |
| 2019 | 66.3% | 43.5% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | 43.1% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | 42.7% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | 42.3% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | 42% |
| 2014 | 65.1% | 41.6% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | 41.2% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | 40.8% |
| 2011 | 64% | 40.4% |
| 2010 | 63.5% | 40% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | 39.5% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 39% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | 38.4% |
| 2006 | 59.6% | 37.8% |
| 2005 | 58.5% | 37.3% |
| 2004 | 57.3% | 36.8% |
| 2003 | 56.1% | 36.4% |
| 2002 | 55% | 36.1% |
| 2001 | 54% | 35.9% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 35.9% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 36.2% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | 36.7% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | 37.4% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | 38% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | 38.4% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | 38.7% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | 38.9% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | 39.1% |
| 1991 | 45.5% | 39.3% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | 39.4% |
| 1989 | 40.9% | 39.5% |
| 1988 | 37.6% | 39.5% |
| 1987 | 33.9% | 39.6% |
| 1986 | 30% | 39.7% |
| 1985 | 26.2% | 39.7% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | 39.8% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | 39.8% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | 39.9% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 14.9% | 39.9% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | 39.7% |
| 1978 | 13.6% | 39.3% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | 38.6% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | 37.8% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | 36.8% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 35.6% |
| 1973 | 11.1% | 34.4% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | 33.2% |
| 1971 | 9.89% | 31.9% |
| 1970 | 9% | 30.7% |
| 1969 | 7.93% | 29.4% |
| 1968 | 6.78% | 28% |
| 1967 | 5.65% | 26.4% |
| 1966 | 4.63% | 24.6% |
| 1965 | 3.83% | 22.9% |
| 1964 | 3.37% | 21.3% |
| 1963 | 3.22% | 20.1% |
| 1962 | 3.14% | 19.1% |
| 1961 | 3.07% | 18.1% |
| 1960 | 3% | 17.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/zambia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.3% to 67.5% in Botswana and from 36.8% to 45.5% in Zambia.
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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/zambia | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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