Political polarization score in Botswana
Botswana: Political polarization score was -1.9 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
-1.9
Change on year
down 4.6%
World rank
166th
of 174 countries
All-time high
-0.867
in 1910
All-time low
-3.06
in 1960
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Political polarization score in Botswana, 1900–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, political polarization score in Botswana stood at -1.9.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political polarization score in Botswana peaked at -0.867 in 1910 and was at its lowest, -3.06, in 1960.
Botswana ranks 166th of 174 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 126 years of available data.
Political polarization score in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.15 | — |
| 1901 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.867 | -24.6% |
| 1911 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.867 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.15 | +32.2% |
| 1920 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.913 | -20.3% |
| 1922 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.913 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -1.16 | +27.5% |
| 1930 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.903 | -22.4% |
| 1932 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.903 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.15 | +27.4% |
| 1940 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.915 | -20.4% |
| 1942 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.915 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.16 | +26.3% |
| 1950 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.879 | -24.0% |
| 1952 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.879 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.16 | +32.3% |
| 1960 | -3.06 | +163.2% |
| 1961 | -2.57 | -16.0% |
| 1962 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -2.31 | -10.3% |
| 1966 | -2.31 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -2.31 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2.31 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.79 | -22.4% |
| 1970 | -2.76 | +54.3% |
| 1971 | -2.32 | -16.1% |
| 1972 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.32 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.77 | +19.3% |
| 1980 | -2.77 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.33 | -15.6% |
| 1982 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -2.33 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -2.74 | +17.4% |
| 1990 | -2.74 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -2.03 | -26.1% |
| 1992 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -2.73 | +34.6% |
| 2001 | -1.77 | -35.2% |
| 2002 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -1.77 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -2.25 | +27.7% |
| 2011 | -1.78 | -20.9% |
| 2012 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.64 | -8.2% |
| 2019 | -1.48 | -9.8% |
| 2020 | -1.56 | +5.6% |
| 2021 | -1.19 | -23.5% |
| 2022 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -2.49 | +108.6% |
| 2024 | -1.82 | -27.1% |
| 2025 | -1.9 | +4.6% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's -1.9 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6285. (48 countries reporting)
- Botswana's -1.9 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.425. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.15 | -1.15 | -1.15 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.8949 | -1.15 | -0.867 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.9614 | -1.16 | -0.913 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.9538 | -1.16 | -0.903 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.9626 | -1.16 | -0.915 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.9351 | -1.16 | -0.879 | 10 |
| 1960s | -2.44 | -3.06 | -1.79 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.41 | -2.77 | -2.32 | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.42 | -2.77 | -2.33 | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.1 | -2.74 | -2.03 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.86 | -2.73 | -1.77 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.79 | -2.25 | -1.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.69 | -2.49 | -1.19 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More reference data data for Botswana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0472 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0078 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0825 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0424 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is political polarization score in Botswana?
- Political polarization score in Botswana was -1.9 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest political polarization score recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was -0.867 in 1910.
- What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.06 in 1960.
- How does Botswana rank for political polarization score?
- Botswana ranks 166th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political polarization score rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Political polarization score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).