Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana
Botswana: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 69.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 69.2% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020.
The figure is down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana peaked at 69.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 46.4%, in 1950.
Botswana ranks 147th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 46.4% | — |
| 1955 | 48.0% | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 49.3% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 50.9% | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 50.3% | -1.1% |
| 1975 | 53.1% | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 58.5% | +10.0% |
| 1985 | 62.4% | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 63.8% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 66.0% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 67.8% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 68.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 69.3% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 69.2% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 47.2% | 46.4% | 48.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 50.1% | 49.3% | 50.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 51.7% | 50.3% | 53.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 60.4% | 58.5% | 62.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 64.9% | 63.8% | 66.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 67.9% | 67.8% | 68.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 69.5% | 69.3% | 69.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 69.2% | 69.2% | 69.2% | 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 share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Botswana was 69.2% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 69.7% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.4% in 1950.
- How does Botswana rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Botswana ranks 147th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.