Botswana is 15.6 times bigger by total area compared to the Netherlands: 224,610 sq mi vs 14,432 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Botswana is 218,816 sq mi vs 13,000 sq mi for the Netherlands — a 16.8 times difference in territory size.
- Botswana ranks 47/197 by total surface area vs 133/197 for the Netherlands.
- Botswana occupies 0.38% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.02% for the Netherlands.
- 45.6% of Botswana's area is agricultural land vs 53.5% in the Netherlands.
- Botswana has 0.54% of the world's agricultural land area — the Netherlands has 0.04%.
- 26.3% of Botswana is covered by forests, compared to 11.1% in the Netherlands.
- 0.37% of the world's forests are in Botswana, and 0.009% are in the Netherlands.
Total size and land area comparison
Botswana
|
Netherlands
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
224,610 sq mi |
14,432 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 15.6 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 47/197 | 133/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.11% | 0.007% |
| Land area |
218,816 sq mi |
13,000 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 16.8 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 47/197 | 134/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.38% | 0.02% |
| Population | 2,521,139 | 17,993,485 |
| Population density | 11.9 ppl/mi² | 1,402 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Botswana
|
Netherlands
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
57,528 sq mi |
1,437 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 26.3% | 11.1% |
| Forest area rank | 44/196 | 145/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.37% | 0.009% |
Agricultural land area
|
99,854 sq mi |
6,961 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 45.6% | 53.5% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 43/194 | 122/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.54% | 0.04% |
|
Arable land
|
1,004 sq mi |
3,896 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 0.46% | 30% |
| Arable land area rank | 138/191 | 107/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
7.72 sq mi |
139 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.004% | 1.07% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 176/192 | 134/192 |
|
Water area
|
5,794 sq mi |
1,432 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 2.58% | 9.92% |
| Water area rank | 34/197 | 78/197 |
| Roads length |
19,727 mi |
88,123 mi |
| Land borders length |
2,701 mi |
654 mi |
| Coastline length |
0 mi |
280.2 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | n/a | 33.6% |
Botswana vs Netherlands size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/botswana/netherlands | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Botswana and the Netherlands but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.