Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana
Botswana: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 35.8% in 2015. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana, 1985–2015
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2015, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana stood at 35.8%.
That represents a change of down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana peaked at 63.7% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 33.9%, in 2009.
That places Botswana 25th out of 120 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 63.7% | — |
| 1993 | 55.9% | -12.2% |
| 2002 | 49.2% | -12.1% |
| 2009 | 33.9% | -31.0% |
| 2015 | 35.8% | +5.4% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 35.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.2%, 8.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 35.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.1%, 58% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 63.7% | 63.7% | 63.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 55.9% | 55.9% | 55.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 41.6% | 33.9% | 49.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 35.8% | 35.8% | 35.8% | 1 |
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 poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Botswana was 35.8% in 2015, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 63.7% in 1985.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.9% in 2009.
- How does Botswana rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- Botswana ranks 25th out of 120 countries with data for 2015.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $4.20 per day.