Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana

Botswana: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 18.7 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
18.7 hectares per square kilometre
Change on year
up 40.9%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
29.14 hectares per square kilometre
in 2011
All-time low
1.92 hectares per square kilometre
in 2019
Years of data
22
2002–2023

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana, 2002–2023

01020302002201220232002: 14.3 hectares per square kilometre2003: 2.4 hectares per square kilometre2004: 3.2 hectares per square kilometre2005: 4.9 hectares per square kilometre2006: 9.1 hectares per square kilometre2007: 5 hectares per square kilometre2008: 19.4 hectares per square kilometre2009: 3.8 hectares per square kilometre2010: 23.6 hectares per square kilometre2011: 29.1 hectares per square kilometre2012: 8.8 hectares per square kilometre2013: 7.1 hectares per square kilometre2014: 5 hectares per square kilometre2015: 3.2 hectares per square kilometre2016: 2.6 hectares per square kilometre2017: 8.4 hectares per square kilometre2018: 4.8 hectares per square kilometre2019: 1.9 hectares per square kilometre2020: 5.7 hectares per square kilometre2021: 18.6 hectares per square kilometre2022: 13.3 hectares per square kilometre2023: 18.7 hectares per square kilometre

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.

Analysis

The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana is 18.7 hectares per square kilometre, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 40.9% on the previous year and up 163.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana peaked at 29.14 hectares per square kilometre in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.92 hectares per square kilometre, in 2019.

That places Botswana 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana, 2002 to 2023.
Year hectares per square kilometre Change
2002 14.34 hectares per square kilometre
2003 2.4 hectares per square kilometre -83.3%
2004 3.15 hectares per square kilometre +31.3%
2005 4.92 hectares per square kilometre +56.0%
2006 9.12 hectares per square kilometre +85.5%
2007 4.99 hectares per square kilometre -45.3%
2008 19.37 hectares per square kilometre +288.4%
2009 3.82 hectares per square kilometre -80.3%
2010 23.61 hectares per square kilometre +518.6%
2011 29.14 hectares per square kilometre +23.4%
2012 8.75 hectares per square kilometre -70.0%
2013 7.1 hectares per square kilometre -18.9%
2014 5.04 hectares per square kilometre -29.0%
2015 3.15 hectares per square kilometre -37.5%
2016 2.55 hectares per square kilometre -19.1%
2017 8.41 hectares per square kilometre +229.8%
2018 4.79 hectares per square kilometre -43.0%
2019 1.92 hectares per square kilometre -59.8%
2020 5.67 hectares per square kilometre +194.6%
2021 18.64 hectares per square kilometre +228.7%
2022 13.27 hectares per square kilometre -28.8%
2023 18.7 hectares per square kilometre +40.9%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2010 +518.6% 3.82 hectares per square kilometre 23.61 hectares per square kilometre

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 7.76 hectares per square kilometre 2.4 hectares per square kilometre 19.37 hectares per square kilometre 8
2010s 9.45 hectares per square kilometre 1.92 hectares per square kilometre 29.14 hectares per square kilometre 10
2020s 14.07 hectares per square kilometre 5.67 hectares per square kilometre 18.7 hectares per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 1 Senegal 21.94 hectares per square kilometre compare
  2. 3 Gambia 14.95 hectares per square kilometre compare
  3. 4 South Sudan 14.2 hectares per square kilometre compare
  4. 5 Ghana 11.74 hectares per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 206 places →

More reference data data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana?
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana was 18.7 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 29.14 hectares per square kilometre in 2011.
What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 1.92 hectares per square kilometre in 2019.
How does Botswana rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
Botswana ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 163.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-burned-by-wildfires-by-land-cover-type-per-square-kilometre/botswana/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-burned-by-wildfires-by-land-cover-type-per-square-kilometre/botswana/">Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Botswana</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type 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.

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

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

Indicator
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre
Unit
hectares per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
206 places, 4,504 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type 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.