People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana
Botswana: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 192,737 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana stood at 192,737 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana peaked at 461,890 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 192,737 people, in 2024.
That places Botswana 76th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 461,890 people | — |
| 2001 | 452,728 people | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 445,875 people | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 438,781 people | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 431,484 people | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 424,217 people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 417,061 people | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 399,824 people | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 382,912 people | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 366,363 people | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 350,068 people | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 333,446 people | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 320,916 people | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 308,740 people | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 296,485 people | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 284,263 people | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 272,143 people | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 260,172 people | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 248,430 people | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 236,921 people | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 225,681 people | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 214,784 people | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 204,281 people | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 194,067 people | -5.0% |
| 2024 | 192,737 people | -0.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 192,737 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36,902 people, 5.2× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 192,737 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 4% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 422,114 people | 366,363 people | 461,890 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 291,158 people | 236,921 people | 350,068 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 206,310 people | 192,737 people | 225,681 people | 5 |
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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Botswana was 192,737 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 461,890 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 192,737 people in 2024.
- How does Botswana rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Botswana ranks 76th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.