Name
The name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana," referring to the country's largest ethnic group.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Botswana
22.10° S, 24.18° E
No coast at all — every one of its 4,347 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 4,347 km · 45th/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 2,303,697
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 581,730 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 579,137 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 4 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- BW · BWA
- GDP (nominal)
- $19.4 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $18,100
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Botswana 581,730 km²Turkmenistan 488,100 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Botswana sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age25.8 years167th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy66.4 years198th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate2.73 children per woman54th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population2,303,697146th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area581,730 km²49th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Conflicts and population movements in southern Africa destabilized or destroyed multiple political entities in what is now Botswana during the early 1800s. The Tswana ethnic group, who also live across the border in South Africa, became the area's most prominent group by the end of this period. In 1852, Tswana forces halted white Afrikaner settlers seeking to expand their territory northwards into what is now Botswana. In 1885, Great Britain claimed territory roughly corresponding with modern day Botswana as a protectorate called Bechuanaland. At independence in 1966, the British protectorate adopted the name Botswana, meaning "land of the Tswana."
Since independence, uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created an enduring democracy and upper-middle-income economy. The Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence, and Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi assumed the presidency in 2018 after Ian Khama retired due to constitutional term limits. Masisi won his first election as president in 2019. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, while tourism is a growing sector linked to conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection and one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
The climate is semiarid, with warm winters and hot summers. Seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country and can obscure visibility, while periodic droughts occur.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
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, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west.
Its ethnic groups include Tswana (or Setswana), Kalanga, Basarwa, Kgalagadi, and people of European ancestry. Religious affiliations include Christian and Badimo, as well as Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, and Rastafarian; some people have no religion or have not specified one.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $19.4 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $45.55 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $18,100
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- -3%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 2.8%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 23.2%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $6.4 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $7.23 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 66.4 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 25.8 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 21.16 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 6.8 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 2.73 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +1.32% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 72.9%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Setswana77.3%
- Sekalanga7.4%
- Shekgalagadi3.4%
- Englishofficial2.8%
- Zezuru/Shona2%
- Sesarwa1.7%
- Sembukushu1.6%
- Ndebele1%
- others2.8%
- Field “People and Society → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Christian79.1%
- Badimo4.1%
- other0.3%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 581,730 km²Land 566,730 km² · Water 15,000 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 4,347 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 1,013 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 1,495 m Manyelanong Hill
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 4
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Lakes 1
Mountain ranges 1
Deserts 2
Largest cities 5
Population · Natural Earth
- Gaboronecapital208.4K
- Francistown90K
- Lobatse69.8K
- Molepolole63.2K
- Mahalapye50.7K