Botswana population
Population statistics, historical records, charts, annual changes and source-backed reference information for Botswana.
About Botswana
Botswana is presented in WhereFacts as a country population profile. This page combines the latest approved population value with the complete annual series currently available in the database.
Botswana had a population of 2,562,122 in 2025, according to the latest available source data. The latest annual change was +1.63%.
Population in 2025
The population of Botswana in 2025 is 2,562,122. Compared with the previous year, the population increased by 40,983 people. Across the latest five-year period the change was +8.29%, while the ten-year change was +16.29%.
Historical population
The available annual series covers 1960–2025. Over the full period, Botswana recorded an overall population change of +396.38%.
Population trend over the last 10 years
This view isolates the most recent decade of approved records so short-term movement can be read separately from the full historical series.
Annual population change
The charts below show the numeric population change and the annual percentage rate. Both are calculated directly from consecutive values in the same approved series.
Change in people
Annual percentage change
Population summary
| Measure | Period / year | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Latest year | 2025 | 2,562,122 |
| 1-year change | 2024–2025 | +1.63% |
| 5-year change | 2020–2025 | +8.29% |
| 10-year change | 2015–2025 | +16.29% |
| Series change | 1960–2025 | +396.38% |
| Highest recorded | 2025 | 2,562,122 |
| Lowest recorded | 1960 | 516,165 |
Population by year
The table contains every approved annual record currently available for Botswana. Each year links to its own historical population page.
| Year | Population | Numeric change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,562,122 | +40,983 | +1.63% |
| 2024 | 2,521,139 | +40,895 | +1.65% |
| 2023 | 2,480,244 | +40,352 | +1.65% |
| 2022 | 2,439,892 | +38,451 | +1.60% |
| 2021 | 2,401,441 | +35,547 | +1.50% |
| 2020 | 2,365,894 | +33,811 | +1.45% |
| 2019 | 2,332,083 | +32,942 | +1.43% |
| 2018 | 2,299,141 | +32,394 | +1.43% |
| 2017 | 2,266,747 | +31,971 | +1.43% |
| 2016 | 2,234,776 | +31,503 | +1.43% |
| 2015 | 2,203,273 | +31,229 | +1.44% |
| 2014 | 2,172,044 | +31,362 | +1.47% |
| 2013 | 2,140,682 | +32,065 | +1.52% |
| 2012 | 2,108,617 | +35,082 | +1.69% |
| 2011 | 2,073,535 | +40,424 | +1.99% |
| 2010 | 2,033,111 | +42,438 | +2.13% |
| 2009 | 1,990,673 | +40,703 | +2.09% |
| 2008 | 1,949,970 | +38,769 | +2.03% |
| 2007 | 1,911,201 | +36,685 | +1.96% |
| 2006 | 1,874,516 | +34,639 | +1.88% |
| 2005 | 1,839,877 | +32,731 | +1.81% |
| 2004 | 1,807,146 | +31,410 | +1.77% |
| 2003 | 1,775,736 | +30,973 | +1.78% |
| 2002 | 1,744,763 | +32,509 | +1.90% |
| 2001 | 1,712,254 | +34,872 | +2.08% |
| 2000 | 1,677,382 | +35,385 | +2.15% |
| 1999 | 1,641,997 | +35,098 | +2.18% |
| 1998 | 1,606,899 | +35,208 | +2.24% |
| 1997 | 1,571,691 | +35,777 | +2.33% |
| 1996 | 1,535,914 | +37,078 | +2.47% |
| 1995 | 1,498,836 | +38,813 | +2.66% |
| 1994 | 1,460,023 | +39,908 | +2.81% |
| 1993 | 1,420,115 | +40,082 | +2.90% |
| 1992 | 1,380,033 | +38,277 | +2.85% |
| 1991 | 1,341,756 | +36,060 | +2.76% |
| 1990 | 1,305,696 | +35,422 | +2.79% |
| 1989 | 1,270,274 | +34,798 | +2.82% |
| 1988 | 1,235,476 | +36,309 | +3.03% |
| 1987 | 1,199,167 | +38,517 | +3.32% |
| 1986 | 1,160,650 | +38,705 | +3.45% |
| 1985 | 1,121,945 | +38,285 | +3.53% |
| 1984 | 1,083,660 | +37,523 | +3.59% |
| 1983 | 1,046,137 | +36,868 | +3.65% |
| 1982 | 1,009,269 | +39,273 | +4.05% |
| 1981 | 969,996 | +32,511 | +3.47% |
| 1980 | 937,485 | +35,743 | +3.96% |
| 1979 | 901,742 | +52,503 | +6.18% |
| 1978 | 849,239 | +49,665 | +6.21% |
| 1977 | 799,574 | +41,066 | +5.41% |
| 1976 | 758,508 | +38,128 | +5.29% |
| 1975 | 720,380 | +34,932 | +5.10% |
| 1974 | 685,448 | +33,040 | +5.06% |
| 1973 | 652,408 | +30,001 | +4.82% |
| 1972 | 622,407 | +21,926 | +3.65% |
| 1971 | 600,481 | +10,147 | +1.72% |
| 1970 | 590,334 | +3,268 | +0.56% |
| 1969 | 587,066 | +3,100 | +0.53% |
| 1968 | 583,966 | +3,033 | +0.52% |
| 1967 | 580,933 | +3,067 | +0.53% |
| 1966 | 577,866 | +3,202 | +0.56% |
| 1965 | 574,664 | +8,398 | +1.48% |
| 1964 | 566,266 | +13,300 | +2.41% |
| 1963 | 552,966 | +12,780 | +2.37% |
| 1962 | 540,186 | +12,244 | +2.32% |
| 1961 | 527,942 | +11,777 | +2.28% |
| 1960 | 516,165 | — | — |
Population analysis
Botswana population in 2025
The latest population shown for Botswana is 2,562,122. Compared with the previous year, the population increased by +1.63%.
Population change over 10 years
Across the most recent ten-year period, Botswana recorded a upward population movement of +16.29%, based only on the annual population series.
Historical high and low
The highest value in this series is 2,562,122 in 2025. The lowest is 516,165 in 1960.
world population ranking
Botswana is currently listed at #141 in the available world population ranking. Rankings are recalculated when approved source data is updated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Botswana in 2025?
The population of Botswana is 2,562,122 in the latest 2025 record shown on this page.
Is the population of Botswana increasing or decreasing?
The latest annual series indicates that the population is increasing, with a year-over-year change of +1.63%.
What was the population of Botswana 10 years ago?
Ten years before the latest record, the population was 2,203,273.
Where does Botswana rank by population?
Botswana is listed at #141 in the available world population ranking.
Sources and data notes
Population data source: World Bank Open Data. Reference year: 2025. Reuse information: CC BY 4.0 with World Bank dataset terms.
WhereFacts keeps descriptive geographic facts separate from population calculations. Population charts, tables, changes and analyses on this page are derived from the same approved annual series to keep figures internally consistent.
Report a data issue
Found an incorrect population value, source, place name or broken link? Send it to our review queue. Reports never change published data automatically.