THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: In the early 1800s, multiple political entities in what is now Botswana were destabilized or destroyed by a series of conflicts and population movements in southern Africa. By the end of this period, the Tswana ethnic group, who also live across the border in South Africa, had become the most prominent group in the area. In 1852, Tswana forces halted the expansion of white Afrikaner settlers who were seeking to expand their territory northwards into what is now Botswana. In 1885, Great Britain claimed territory that roughly corresponds with modern day Botswana as a protectorate called Bechuanaland. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana, which means "land of the Tswana." More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created an enduring democracy and upper-middle-income economy. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI assumed the presidency in 2018 after the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in 2019, and he is Botswana’s fifth president since independence. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 581,730 sq km
land: 566,730 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas; almost four times the size of Illinois
Land boundaries: total: 4,347.15 km
border countries: Namibia 1,544 km; South Africa 1,969 km; Zambia 0.15 km; Zimbabwe 834 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation: highest point: Manyelanong Hill 1,495 m
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
mean elevation: 1,013 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use: agricultural land: 45.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 27.8% (2023 est.)
other: 26.6% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 25 sq km (2014)
Major rivers (by length in km): Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km; Okavango river mouth (shared with Angola [s], and Namibia) - 1,600 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Population distribution: the population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west.
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Geography - note: landlocked; sparsely populated with most settlement concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the country; geography dominated by the Kalahari Desert, which covers about 70% of the country, although the Okavango Delta brings considerable biodiversity as one of the largest inland deltas in the World

Population: total: 2,521,534 (2025 est.)
male: 1,234,898
female: 1,286,636
Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and people of European ancestry 7%
Languages: Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.)
Religions: Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 355,583/female 348,863)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 759,210/female 837,752)
65 years and over: 6.1% (2024 est.) (male 59,513/female 89,747)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 60.9 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 52.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 11.4 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 25.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 26 years
female: 28.3 years
Population growth rate: 1.32% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 21.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west.
Urbanization: urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 269,000 GABORONE (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 27.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 25.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 64.4 years
female: 68.6 years
Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.34 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 79.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 92.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 20.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 7.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 14.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 94.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 63% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 86% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 5.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 37% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 14% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 18.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 5.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 2.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 17.1% (2025 est.)
male: 29.2% (2025 est.)
female: 5.5% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 41.5% (2017 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 8.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 21.5% national budget (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years (2021 est.)
male: 12 years (2021 est.)
female: 13 years (2021 est.)

Environmental issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources; air pollution
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Land use: agricultural land: 45.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 27.8% (2023 est.)
other: 26.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 5.897 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 3.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 12.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 26 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 144 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 841.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 1.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 210,900 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 129.327 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 24.295 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 59.661 million cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 12.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland
etymology: the name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana," referring to the country's largest ethnic group
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Gaborone
geographic coordinates: 24 38 S, 25 54 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after GABORONE (ca. 1825-1931), a chief of the Tlokwa tribe, whose name means "it is not unbecoming"
Administrative divisions: 10 districts and 6 town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Phikwe*, South East, Southern, Sowa Town*
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model, including customary and common law
Constitution: history: previous 1960 (pre-independence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval in two successive Assembly votes with at least two-thirds majority in the final vote; proposals to amend constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and branches of government, and public services also requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and assent by the president of the republic
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024)
head of government: President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president
most recent election date: 31 October 2024
election results: BOKO's UDC won 35 seats in the National Assembly, which then selected BOKO as president
expected date of next election: October 2029
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament
legislative structure: unicameral
chamber name: National Assembly
number of seats: 69 (61 directly elected; 6 indirectly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 10/30/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) (36); Botswana Congress Party (BCP) (15); Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) (5); Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) (4); Other (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 9%
expected date of next election: October 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court
Political parties: Alliance of Progressives or AP Botswana Congress Party or BCP Botswana Democratic Party or BDP Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF Botswana Peoples Party or BPP Botswana Republic Party or BRP Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC (various times the coalition has included the BPP, BCP, BNF and other parties)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mpho Churchill MOPHUTING (since 18 September 2024)
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
email address and website: info@botswanaembassy.orghttp://www.botswanaembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Howard A. VAN VRANKEN (since 24 May 2023)
embassy: Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone
mailing address: 2170 Gaborone Place, Washington DC 20521-2170
telephone: [267] 395-3982
FAX: [267] 318-0232
email address and website: ConsularGaborone@state.govhttps://bw.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
Flag: description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe across the middlemeaning: the blue symbolizes rainwater, and the black and white bands represent racial harmony
National symbol(s): zebra
National color(s): light blue, white, black
National coat of arms: the two zebras, the country’s national symbol, support an elephant tusk that represents the country's fauna and a head of sorghum that signifies agriculture; the three wavy blue bands stand for the country’s reliance on water, the cog wheels for industry, and the bull’s head for the cattle industry; the coat of arms also features the national colors of light blue, white, and black; the motto reflects the scarcity of rain in the country: pula means “let there be rain” in Setswana, the national language
National anthem(s): title: "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land)
lyrics/music: Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE
history: adopted 1966
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Tsodilo Hills (c); Okavango Delta (n)

Economic overview: good economic governance and financial management; diamond-driven growth model declining; rapid poverty reductions; high unemployment, particularly among youth; COVID-19 sharply contracted the economy and recovery is slow; public sector wages have posed fiscal challenges
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $45.553 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $46.957 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $45.498 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: -3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $18,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $18,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $18,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $19.401 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 11.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.7% (2024 est.)
industry: 29.4% (2024 est.)
services: 63.5% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 45.3% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 32.1% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 28.5% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 7.7% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 26% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -40.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: root vegetables, beef, vegetables, sorghum, maize, game meat, milk, watermelons, goat milk, sunflower seeds (2023)
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver; beef processing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -13.5% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 1.173 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 23.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 23.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 23.7% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 43.9% (2024 est.)
male: 39.8% (2024 est.)
female: 48.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 16.1% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015: 54.9 (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% (2015 est.)
highest 10%: 42.9% (2015 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.474 billion (2024 est.)
expenditures: $6.296 billion (2024 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2020: 19.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 19.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$116.727 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$232.122 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$314.583 million (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $6.398 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $8.914 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $7.861 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: UAE 27%, India 17%, Belgium 16%, South Africa 8%, USA 7% (2023)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper ore, insulated wire, carbonates, cattle (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $7.228 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $8.826 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $9.25 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: South Africa 65%, Namibia 8%, Canada 5%, China 3%, India 3% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, diamonds, cars, flavored water, electricity (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $3.456 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $4.756 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $4.279 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $1.761 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: pulas (BWP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 13.563 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 13.596 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 12.369 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 11.087 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 11.456 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 75.9% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 95.5%
electrification - rural areas: 25%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 758,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.879 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 2 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 1.923 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 625.694 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: production: 2.242 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.351 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 891,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.66 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 32.443 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 83,200 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 4.13 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 164 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: 2 TV stations, 1 state-owned and 1 privately owned; privately owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 4 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2019)
Internet country code: .bw
Internet users: percent of population: 81% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 85,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A2
Airports: 122 (2025)
Railways: total: 888 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 888 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Military and security forces: Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 10,000 active Botswana Defense Force (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the BDF has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment, largely of Western/European origin; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of newer armaments from several European countries and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age (men and women) for general recruits and officer candidates; 18-40 for special entrant officers; no conscription (2025)
Military - note: the key responsibilities of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) are defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity on land and in the air, ensuring national security and stability, and aiding civil authorities in support of domestic missions such as disaster relief and anti-poaching; the BDF also participates in regional and international security operationsBechuanaland/Botswana did not have a permanent military during colonial times, with the British colonial administrators relying instead on small, lightly armed constabularies such as the Bechuanaland Mounted Police, the Bechuanaland Border Police, and by the early 1960s, the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); after independence in 1966, Botswana militarized the PMU and gave it responsibility for the country’s defense rather than create a conventional military force; however, turmoil in neighboring countries and numerous cross-border incursions by Rhodesian and South African security forces in the 1960s and 1970s demonstrated that the PMU was inadequate for defending the country and led to the establishment of the BDF in 1977 (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 823 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 99 (2023 est.)

Botswana