Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana

Botswana: Area burned wildfires by type was 2.59 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
2.59 million
Change on year
up 19.6%
World rank
13th
of 225 countries
All-time high
16.52 million
in 2011
All-time low
1.09 million
in 2019
Years of data
24
2002–2025

Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana, 2002–2025

05.0M10.0M15.0M2002201320252002: 8.1M2003: 1.4M2004: 1.8M2005: 2.8M2006: 5.2M2007: 2.8M2008: 11.0M2009: 2.2M2010: 13.4M2011: 16.5M2012: 5.0M2013: 4.0M2014: 2.9M2015: 1.8M2016: 1.4M2017: 4.8M2018: 2.7M2019: 1.1M2020: 3.2M2021: 10.6M2022: 7.5M2023: 10.6M2024: 2.2M2025: 2.6M

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for area burned wildfires by type in Botswana is 2.59 million, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 19.6% on the previous year and up 44.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, area burned wildfires by type in Botswana peaked at 16.52 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.09 million, in 2019.

Botswana ranks 13th of 225 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana, 2002 to 2025.
Year Value Change
2002 8.13 million —
2003 1.36 million -83.3%
2004 1.79 million +31.3%
2005 2.79 million +56.0%
2006 5.17 million +85.5%
2007 2.83 million -45.3%
2008 10.98 million +288.4%
2009 2.16 million -80.3%
2010 13.38 million +518.6%
2011 16.52 million +23.4%
2012 4.96 million -70.0%
2013 4.02 million -18.9%
2014 2.86 million -29.0%
2015 1.79 million -37.5%
2016 1.45 million -19.1%
2017 4.77 million +229.8%
2018 2.72 million -43.0%
2019 1.09 million -59.8%
2020 3.21 million +194.6%
2021 10.56 million +228.7%
2022 7.52 million -28.8%
2023 10.60 million +40.9%
2024 2.16 million -79.6%
2025 2.59 million +19.6%

Botswana compared with similar countries

  • Botswana's 2.59 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10,669, 242.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
  • Botswana's 2.59 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 541,498, 4.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Area burned wildfires by type 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% 2.16 million 13.38 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 4.40 million 1.36 million 10.98 million 8
2010s 5.35 million 1.09 million 16.52 million 10
2020s 6.11 million 2.16 million 10.60 million 6

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 10 Senegal 3.26 million compare
  2. 11 Madagascar 2.96 million compare
  3. 12 Nigeria 2.89 million compare
  4. 14 Tanzania 2.44 million compare
  5. 15 Namibia 2.15 million compare
  6. 16 South Africa 2.13 million compare

See the full ranking of 225 places →

More reference data data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is area burned wildfires by type in Botswana?
Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana was 2.59 million in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest area burned wildfires by type recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 16.52 million in 2011.
What is the lowest area burned wildfires by type recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 1.09 million in 2019.
How does Botswana rank for area burned wildfires by type?
Botswana ranks 13th out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
Is area burned wildfires by type rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 44.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Area burned wildfires by type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Area burned wildfires by type in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-burned-wildfires-by-type/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
Area burned wildfires by type
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
225 places, 5,400 data points, 2002–2025
Last refreshed