Rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana
Botswana: Rural population, per square kilometre was 1.44 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.44 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
193rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.48 units per square kilometre
in 1983
All-time low
0.903 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 1.44 units per square kilometre for rural population, per square kilometre in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana peaked at 1.48 units per square kilometre in 1983 and was at its lowest, 0.903 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Botswana 193rd out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.903 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.9232 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 0.9443 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 0.9655 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 0.9751 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 0.9724 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 0.9672 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 0.9606 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 0.9537 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 0.9479 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 0.9548 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 0.9821 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 1.02 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 1.07 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 1.12 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 1.17 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 1.23 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 1.29 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1979 | 1.37 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 1.41 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 1.47 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.48 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 1.48 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 1.46 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 1.43 units per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 1.4 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 1.3 units per square kilometre | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 1.29 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.3 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 1.31 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 1.33 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 1.35 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 1.37 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.38 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 1.39 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 1.39 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.38 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.38 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 1.35 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 1.33 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 1.31 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.31 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 1.31 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 1.32 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.33 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 1.34 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 1.34 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.35 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.37 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.39 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.4 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 1.42 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 1.44 units per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27.02 units per square kilometre, 5% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 1.44 units per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.51 units per square kilometre, 4% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.9517 units per square kilometre | 0.903 units per square kilometre | 0.9751 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.12 units per square kilometre | 0.9479 units per square kilometre | 1.37 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.43 units per square kilometre | 1.32 units per square kilometre | 1.48 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.33 units per square kilometre | 1.29 units per square kilometre | 1.38 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.35 units per square kilometre | 1.31 units per square kilometre | 1.39 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.34 units per square kilometre | 1.31 units per square kilometre | 1.39 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.43 units per square kilometre | 1.4 units per square kilometre | 1.44 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 190 Mauritania 1.96 units per square kilometre compare
- 191 Namibia 1.8 units per square kilometre compare
- 192 Qatar 1.66 units per square kilometre compare
- 194 Suriname 1.34 units per square kilometre compare
- 195 Argentina 1.3 units per square kilometre compare
- 196 Uruguay 0.8626 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for Botswana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0178 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 138.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0839 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3204 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Botswana was 1.44 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 1.48 units per square kilometre in 1983.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.903 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Botswana rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Botswana ranks 193rd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.