Botswana — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Botswana, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Botswana was 1.61% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.03% in 1978. The lowest was 0.52% in 1968 (about 3.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.52% per year.
Botswana ranks 66 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 30%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Botswana sits below it. It peaked in 1978 and has fallen 73% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 13%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 42 of 48 economies; South Africa (1.15%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 207% in 1971. That is 7% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1973.
World ranking. Climbed: 111th of 216 in 1961 → 190th of 216 in 1970 → 19th of 216 in 1980 → 58th of 216 in 1990 → 62nd of 217 in 2000 → 60th of 217 in 2010 → 83rd of 217 in 2020 → 66th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 1.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 1.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 1.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 1.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 2.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 1.94% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 1.87% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 1.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 1.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 1.76% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 1.88% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 2.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 2.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 2.16% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 2.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 2.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 2.44% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 2.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.81% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 2.72% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 2.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 2.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 2.98% | -0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 3.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 3.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 3.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 3.59% | -0.4 pp |
| 1982 | 3.97% | +0.6 pp |
| 1981 | 3.41% | -0.5 pp |
| 1980 | 3.89% | -2.1 pp |
| 1979 | 6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 6.03% | +0.8 pp |
| 1977 | 5.27% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 5.16% | +0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 4.97% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 4.94% | +0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 4.71% | +1.1 pp |
| 1972 | 3.59% | +1.9 pp |
| 1971 | 1.7% | +1.1 pp |
| 1970 | 0.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 0.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 0.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 0.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 0.56% | -0.9 pp |
| 1965 | 1.47% | -0.9 pp |
| 1964 | 2.38% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.26% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Botswana’s Population growth in 1962?
2.29% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Botswana’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -28.5% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.61%; 2024: 1.64%; 2023: 1.64%; 2022: 1.59%; 2021: 1.49%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.