Botswana

Sub-Saharan Africa·Upper middle income

Population: 2.48M; 144th of 217
GDP: $19.4B; 134th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $7,695; 114th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 69.2; 158th of 217
Human development: 0.693; 115th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Botswana

Gabon

Equatorial Guinea

South Africa

Cabo Verde

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

good economic governance and financial management; diamond-driven growth model declining; rapid poverty reductions; high unemployment, particularly among youth; COVID-19 sharply contracted the economy and recovery is slow; public sector wages have posed fiscal challenges

Area: 581,730 km²
Languages: Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona…
Resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Borders: Namibia 1,544 km; South Africa 1,969 km; Zambia; Zimbabwe

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian82.3%▲ 1.8pt
Unaffiliated14.7%
Other2.3%▼ 1.5pt

Religious diversity: 3.51 / 10 · moderate · 88th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

BWA

GAB

GNQ

ZAF

GDP

current US$

$19.4B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$665M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

57.6%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

1.7%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

29.4%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

2,258.1–––

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

0.278–––

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

–––

Population

people

2.48M–––

Population density

people per km²

4.3–––

Urban population

% of total

72.9%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.7–––

Net migration

people

-5,778–––

Population under 15

% of total

32.1%–––

Population 65+

% of total

4%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

5.7%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

8.1%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

9,508.2–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

1,044.3–––

Electricity generation

TWh

2.6–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

3.51–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

14.7%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.5%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#134/214

$19.4B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#114/214

$7,6952024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#95/203

$21,012latest

GDP growth

annual %

#208/214

-3%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#105/207

$7,7502024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#70/213

2.8%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#110/201

$665M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#94/205

57.6%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#161/206

1.7%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#61/208

29.4%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#183/187

23.4%latest

Gini index

0–100

#166/168

54.9latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#126/168

21.4%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#69/165

$16,3522022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#57/144

3.052023

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

#22/129

2,258.12023

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

#133/139

0.2782023

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

#68/119

0.5892023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#144/217

2.48Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#208/216

4.3latest

Urban population

% of total

#80/215

72.9%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#158/217

69.2latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#65/217

2.7latest

Net migration

people

#144/217

-5,7782024

Population under 15

% of total

#62/217

32.1%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#164/217

4%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#166/196

38.2latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#154/196

39.6latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#114/192

5.7%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#148/195

0.4latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#105/160

86.8%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#9/199

8.1%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#129/194

21.8%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#99/210

81.4%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#11/214

1792023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#145/208

3.42023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#129/215

471.22024

Access to electricity

% of population

#172/215

76%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#117/198

9,508.22023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#133/202

1,044.32023

Electricity generation

TWh

#138/202

2.62023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#186/202

0.4%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#186/202

99.6%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#85/204

7.52024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#101/204

32024

Share of global CO₂

#122/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#170/193

12.72023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#200/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#207/210

0.6%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#206/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#200/210

0.4%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#206/210

0.7112024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#58/175

0.6652025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#58/175

0.522025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#58/175

0.8452025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#44/175

0.2042025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#43/175

0.8342025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#34/178

602022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#45/193

0.6612022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#53/193

0.4642022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#58/193

0.4672022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#19/193

1.082022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#110/175

0.6992025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#42/126

02025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#50/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#48/126

02025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#88/193

3.512020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#46/193

14.7%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#115/189

0.6932021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#117/170

0.4682021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#157/164

3.462025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#41/158

1.762023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#44/161

2.5%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.