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Population in Botswana compared to Bulgaria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Botswana was 2,562,122 in 2025 vs 6,433,302 people in Bulgaria in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Botswana's population is 2,624,853 people compared to 6,390,149 in Bulgaria.

Population statistics:

  • Bulgaria's population is 2.43 times bigger than Botswana's.
  • Botswana is ranked the 142nd most populous country in the world, while Bulgaria is the 112th.
  • The countries together account for 0.11% of the world: 0.03% for Botswana vs 0.08% for Bulgaria.
  • For the last 10 years, Botswana has had an average growth rate of +1.51% per year vs -0.86% in Bulgaria.
  • Since 2006, the population of Botswana has increased from 1.87M people to 2.62M (40% growth), while Bulgaria has declined from 7.6M to 6.39M (15.9% decline).

Botswana vs Bulgaria: population by year and forecast

Botswana
Factual

Projection
Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Botswana Bulgaria
2100 3,870,704 3,384,288
2099 3,875,823 3,408,821
2098 3,881,867 3,433,149
2097 3,887,181 3,457,549
2096 3,892,081 3,482,057
2095 3,896,405 3,506,060
2094 3,900,671 3,530,278
2093 3,904,733 3,554,432
2092 3,908,682 3,578,667
2091 3,913,090 3,602,907
2090 3,915,896 3,627,300
2089 3,916,540 3,652,188
2088 3,916,700 3,677,416
2087 3,916,016 3,703,460
2086 3,915,493 3,730,284
2085 3,914,975 3,757,953
2084 3,913,555 3,786,496
2083 3,912,119 3,815,548
2082 3,910,185 3,845,662
2081 3,909,204 3,876,344
2080 3,907,447 3,908,874
2079 3,904,550 3,942,344
2078 3,900,021 3,976,345
2077 3,895,321 4,011,440
2076 3,889,723 4,047,182
2075 3,883,893 4,083,977
2074 3,878,255 4,122,447
2073 3,872,458 4,161,511
2072 3,864,865 4,201,158
2071 3,857,922 4,241,639
2070 3,850,437 4,283,145
2069 3,840,521 4,325,083
2068 3,830,034 4,367,606
2067 3,817,551 4,411,116
2066 3,804,918 4,455,358
2065 3,790,427 4,500,141
2064 3,775,157 4,545,243
2063 3,759,402 4,590,439
2062 3,741,936 4,635,634
2061 3,722,576 4,681,315
2060 3,702,465 4,727,089
2059 3,682,055 4,772,667
2058 3,658,810 4,817,532
2057 3,634,762 4,862,597
2056 3,611,096 4,907,646
2055 3,586,314 4,953,105
2054 3,561,446 4,998,650
2053 3,535,001 5,044,397
2052 3,507,213 5,089,817
2051 3,479,219 5,135,505
2050 3,450,807 5,181,635
2049 3,421,435 5,228,058
2048 3,391,019 5,274,692
2047 3,359,719 5,322,212
2046 3,327,520 5,369,645
2045 3,295,807 5,417,381
2044 3,264,444 5,465,818
2043 3,232,407 5,514,902
2042 3,200,743 5,564,573
2041 3,168,217 5,615,489
2040 3,135,241 5,667,076
2039 3,101,153 5,719,506
2038 3,067,014 5,771,452
2037 3,031,993 5,824,628
2036 2,996,265 5,877,980
2035 2,959,978 5,930,517
2034 2,922,807 5,983,205
2033 2,885,394 6,036,049
2032 2,846,703 6,088,107
2031 2,808,291 6,140,619
2030 2,767,933 6,193,318
2029 2,727,903 6,244,785
2028 2,686,412 6,294,981
2027 2,645,316 6,343,732
2026 2,603,241 6,390,149
2025 2,562,122 6,433,302
2024 2,521,139 6,441,421
2023 2,480,244 6,446,596
2022 2,439,892 6,465,097
2021 2,401,441 6,507,301
2020 2,365,894 6,550,696
2019 2,332,083 6,616,726
2018 2,299,141 6,710,798
2017 2,266,747 6,803,468
2016 2,234,776 6,894,139
2015 2,203,273 6,984,225
2014 2,172,044 7,073,572
2013 2,140,682 7,160,005
2012 2,108,617 7,305,888
2011 2,073,535 7,348,328
2010 2,033,111 7,395,599
2009 1,990,673 7,444,443
2008 1,949,970 7,492,561
2007 1,911,201 7,545,338
2006 1,874,516 7,601,022
2005 1,839,877 7,658,972
2004 1,807,146 7,716,860
2003 1,775,736 7,775,327
2002 1,744,763 7,837,161
2001 1,712,254 8,009,142
2000 1,677,382 8,170,172
1999 1,641,997 8,210,624
1998 1,606,899 8,256,786
1997 1,571,691 8,312,068
1996 1,535,914 8,362,826
1995 1,498,836 8,406,067
1994 1,460,023 8,443,591
1993 1,420,115 8,472,313
1992 1,380,033 8,540,164
1991 1,341,756 8,632,367
1990 1,305,696 8,718,289
1989 1,270,274 8,876,972
1988 1,235,476 8,981,446
1987 1,199,167 8,971,359
1986 1,160,650 8,958,171
1985 1,121,945 8,960,547
1984 1,083,660 8,960,679
1983 1,046,137 8,939,738
1982 1,009,269 8,917,457
1981 969,996 8,891,117
1980 937,485 8,861,535
1979 901,742 8,825,940
1978 849,239 8,814,032
1977 799,574 8,804,183
1976 758,508 8,758,599
1975 720,380 8,720,742
1974 685,448 8,678,745
1973 652,408 8,620,967
1972 622,407 8,576,200
1971 600,481 8,536,395
1970 590,334 8,489,574
1969 587,066 8,434,172
1968 583,966 8,369,603
1967 580,933 8,310,226
1966 577,866 8,258,057
1965 574,664 8,204,168
1964 566,266 8,144,340
1963 552,966 8,078,145
1962 540,186 8,012,946
1961 527,942 7,943,118
1960 516,165 7,867,374

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/botswana/bulgaria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Botswana increased by 360,260 people (a 19.2% growth), while Bulgaria lost 706,883 people (a 9.3% decline).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Botswana gained 390,077 people (a 17.5% growth), while Bulgaria's population decreased by 503,990 people (a 7.31% decline).

Botswana was ranked 145th most populous country in 2006 and is 142nd in 2026. Bulgaria was ranked 95th in 2006 and ranked 112th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Botswana's population will grow by 31.5% to 3,450,807 people with a rank change from 142nd to 137th. The population of Bulgaria will decrease by 18.9% to 5,181,635 people and rank change from 112th to 128th.

Botswana is projected to reach its peak in 2088 at 3.92M people, while Bulgaria's population already peaked in 1988 at 8.98M people and is projected to decrease to 3.38M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Botswana
Factual

Projection
Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Botswana Bulgaria
2100 -0.13% -0.72%
2099 -0.16% -0.71%
2098 -0.14% -0.71%
2097 -0.13% -0.7%
2096 -0.11% -0.68%
2095 -0.11% -0.69%
2094 -0.1% -0.68%
2093 -0.1% -0.68%
2092 -0.11% -0.67%
2091 -0.07% -0.67%
2090 -0.02% -0.68%
2089 -0.004% -0.69%
2088 0.02% -0.7%
2087 0.01% -0.72%
2086 0.01% -0.74%
2085 0.04% -0.75%
2084 0.04% -0.76%
2083 0.05% -0.78%
2082 0.03% -0.79%
2081 0.04% -0.83%
2080 0.07% -0.85%
2079 0.12% -0.86%
2078 0.12% -0.87%
2077 0.14% -0.88%
2076 0.15% -0.9%
2075 0.15% -0.93%
2074 0.15% -0.94%
2073 0.2% -0.94%
2072 0.18% -0.95%
2071 0.19% -0.97%
2070 0.26% -0.97%
2069 0.27% -0.97%
2068 0.33% -0.99%
2067 0.33% -0.99%
2066 0.38% -1%
2065 0.4% -0.99%
2064 0.42% -0.98%
2063 0.47% -0.97%
2062 0.52% -0.98%
2061 0.54% -0.97%
2060 0.55% -0.95%
2059 0.64% -0.93%
2058 0.66% -0.93%
2057 0.66% -0.92%
2056 0.69% -0.92%
2055 0.7% -0.91%
2054 0.75% -0.91%
2053 0.79% -0.89%
2052 0.8% -0.89%
2051 0.82% -0.89%
2050 0.86% -0.89%
2049 0.9% -0.88%
2048 0.93% -0.89%
2047 0.97% -0.88%
2046 0.96% -0.88%
2045 0.96% -0.89%
2044 0.99% -0.89%
2043 0.99% -0.89%
2042 1.03% -0.91%
2041 1.05% -0.91%
2040 1.1% -0.92%
2039 1.11% -0.9%
2038 1.16% -0.91%
2037 1.19% -0.91%
2036 1.23% -0.89%
2035 1.27% -0.88%
2034 1.3% -0.88%
2033 1.36% -0.86%
2032 1.37% -0.86%
2031 1.46% -0.85%
2030 1.47% -0.82%
2029 1.54% -0.8%
2028 1.55% -0.77%
2027 1.62% -0.73%
2026 1.6% -0.67%
2025 1.63% -0.13%
2024 1.65% -0.08%
2023 1.65% -0.29%
2022 1.6% -0.65%
2021 1.5% -0.66%
2020 1.45% -1%
2019 1.43% -1.4%
2018 1.43% -1.36%
2017 1.43% -1.32%
2016 1.43% -1.29%
2015 1.44% -1.26%
2014 1.47% -1.21%
2013 1.52% -2%
2012 1.69% -0.58%
2011 1.99% -0.64%
2010 2.13% -0.66%
2009 2.09% -0.64%
2008 2.03% -0.7%
2007 1.96% -0.73%
2006 1.88% -0.76%
2005 1.81% -0.75%
2004 1.77% -0.75%
2003 1.78% -0.79%
2002 1.9% -2.15%
2001 2.08% -1.97%
2000 2.15% -0.49%
1999 2.18% -0.56%
1998 2.24% -0.67%
1997 2.33% -0.61%
1996 2.47% -0.51%
1995 2.66% -0.44%
1994 2.81% -0.34%
1993 2.9% -0.79%
1992 2.85% -1.07%
1991 2.76% -0.99%
1990 2.79% -1.79%
1989 2.82% -1.16%
1988 3.03% 0.11%
1987 3.32% 0.15%
1986 3.45% -0.03%
1985 3.53% -0.001%
1984 3.59% 0.23%
1983 3.65% 0.25%
1982 4.05% 0.3%
1981 3.47% 0.33%
1980 3.96% 0.4%
1979 6.18% 0.14%
1978 6.21% 0.11%
1977 5.41% 0.52%
1976 5.29% 0.43%
1975 5.1% 0.48%
1974 5.06% 0.67%
1973 4.82% 0.52%
1972 3.65% 0.47%
1971 1.72% 0.55%
1970 0.56% 0.66%
1969 0.53% 0.77%
1968 0.52% 0.71%
1967 0.53% 0.63%
1966 0.56% 0.66%
1965 1.48% 0.73%
1964 2.41% 0.82%
1963 2.37% 0.81%
1962 2.32% 0.88%
1961 2.28% 0.96%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/botswana/bulgaria | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Botswana grew by 1.63%, while Bulgaria's population declined by 0.13%.

Live population counters

Botswana Bulgaria
Current population
2624853
6390149
Population rank 142/197 112/197
Percent of world population 0.03% 0.08%
One net population change
12.9 minutes
1.08 hours
One birth every
8.56 minutes
9.83 minutes
One death every
36.3 minutes
5.23 minutes
Daily growth/decline +112 -22
Annual growth/decline +40,983 -8,119
Annual growth/decline rate +1.63% -0.13%
Population growth rate rank 65/197 168/197
One migration net change every
1.55 hours
2.97 hours
Annual migration change -5,665 -2,961
Net migration rank 120/196 106/196
Foreign-born residents 116,402 299,100
Foreign-born residents rank 126/195 98/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.6% 4.4%
Foreign-born share rank 96/195 99/195

Natural population change vs migration

Botswana
Natural

Migration
Bulgaria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Botswana Bulgaria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -5,665 - -2,961
2024 46,951 -5,778 -47,023 524
2023 47,098 -6,487 -43,837 5,173
2022 47,400 -7,306 -62,065 26,498
2021 40,894 -4,083 -90,452 11,756
2020 45,610 -11,330 -65,507 30,167
2019 45,110 -11,770 -46,317 -2,156
2018 44,171 -11,623 -46,304 -3,873
2017 43,154 -10,916 -45,583 -6,109
2016 41,993 -10,286 -42,744 -9,482
2015 40,897 -9,599 -44,699 -4,227
2014 40,046 -8,893 -41,027 -2,180
2013 39,404 -7,836 -37,948 -1,324
2012 39,202 -6,636 -40,183 -26,334
2011 38,613 -1,019 -37,477 -23,360
2010 38,101 5,151 -34,759 -21,668
2009 36,671 4,960 -26,800 -19,060
2008 35,433 4,343 -32,967 -17,595
2007 33,832 3,926 -37,727 -16,366
2006 31,340 4,270 -39,526 -15,184
2005 29,385 4,283 -42,124 -14,435
2004 27,481 4,314 -40,128 -13,604
2003 26,545 4,488 -44,319 -13,183
2002 26,163 4,747 -46,240 -12,735
2001 26,112 7,991 -44,050 -30,726
2000 25,850 9,798 -41,668 -26,211
1999 25,358 9,762 -39,411 -23,846
1998 25,397 9,685 -52,844 -23,262
1997 25,738 9,597 -58,185 -22,963
1996 26,847 9,368 -45,159 -21,520
1995 28,478 9,464 -42,030 -22,020
1994 30,664 9,023 -32,086 -20,984
1993 31,691 8,441 -24,569 -19,973
1992 31,995 8,026 -18,789 -120,552
1991 32,219 4,311 -14,675 -119,356
1990 33,015 2,580 -3,487 -116,817
1989 33,756 1,495 5,326 -114,705
1988 34,564 -215 9,879 215
1987 35,647 2,624 8,971 357
1986 36,203 2,558 16,125 1,104
1985 35,966 2,683 11,649 -19,230
1984 35,530 2,393 20,610 -1,032
1983 35,142 1,980 21,455 -1,872
1982 34,859 1,751 24,077 -1,860
1981 34,327 7,610 29,341 -1,830
1980 33,934 -10,849 30,129 -2,045
1979 32,486 15,918 40,599 -872
1978 30,596 26,015 44,070 -62,769
1977 29,009 13,708 47,543 -11,955
1976 27,497 11,914 56,055 -2,522
1975 25,762 11,086 54,941 -38,071
1974 24,160 8,854 64,223 -1,402
1973 22,449 10,615 57,760 -5,409
1972 21,004 5,937 47,169 -11,296
1971 19,926 -3,016 52,925 -7,654
1970 19,438 -16,054 61,125 -11,315
1969 19,024 -15,870 63,256 -3,204
1968 18,725 -15,681 69,468 -132
1967 18,463 -15,438 49,861 -420
1966 18,250 -15,140 54,504 -144
1965 18,045 -14,753 58,249 -1,406
1964 17,634 -4,126 66,783 505
1963 17,084 -4,000 66,241 500
1962 16,507 -4,028 64,104 499
1961 16,185 -4,168 75,460 378
1960 15,861 -4,331 76,314 -1,112

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/botswana/bulgaria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 83.3% of the population change in Botswana is from natural causes (a gain of 443,278 people) and 16.7% is from migration (a loss of 89,178 people). In Bulgaria 91.7% is from natural causes (a loss of 534,531 people) and 8.28% is from migration (a gain of 48,271 people).

As of 2024, 116,402 residents or 4.6% of the population were not native-born in Botswana, compared to 299,100 people or 4.4% in Bulgaria.

Biggest cities by population

Botswana
City Population
Gaborone 236K
Francistown 103K
Molepolole 67.6K
Kanye 48K
Serowe 47.4K
Mahalapye 41.3K
Palapye 36.2K
Lobatse 26.9K
Bulgaria
City Population
Sofia 1.21M
Plovdiv 334K
Varna 323K
Burgas 189K
Stara Zagora 121K
Ruse 120K
Pleven 88.1K
Sliven 77.8K
Dobrich 68.6K
Shumen 66.4K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/botswana/bulgaria | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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