title: Demographics of Botswana
text: Demographic features of the population of Botswana include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
  
  Botswana, like many nations in southern Africa, suffers from a high HIV infection rate, estimated among adults ages 15 to 49 to be 20.7%.
  
  Population
  
  Census results
  
  Bechuanaland Protectorate
  The seven censuses of Botswana before its independence happened irregularly. Due to the Anglo-Boer War, the first census of Bechuanaland Protectorate, originally set to occur in 1901, took place on 17 April 1904. The 1931 census was postponed to 1936 because of the Great Depression. The early censuses were unreliable and took several years to tabulate; the results were outdated by the time they were calculated.
  
  Post-independence
  There have been six censuses after the independence of Botswana, each occurring every ten years in the year ending in 1 (i.e. 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2022). The 1971 census was the first census in Botswana to use de facto enumeration; this method counts people based on how many people spent census night at a specific location. Previously, the citizens were counted based on their usual place of residence. The 2001 census was the first census in Botswana to comply with the SADC 2000 Census Project, the guidelines of which unify the demographic statistics in southern Africa. The  2011 Census was the fifth census after independence  the 2011 Botswana Population and Housing Census, it occurred in August 2011. The most recent sixth  and most recent census is the 2022 Population and Housing Census which was carried out in April 2022.
  
  UN estimates
  According to  the total population was  in , compared to only 413,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2020 was about 33.4%, 62.1% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.5% of the population were 65 years or older.
  
  Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Based on the results of the 2011 Population Census.):
  
  Vital statistics
  
  United Nations estimates 
  Registration of vital events is in Botswana not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.
  
  Births and deaths
  
  Source: Vital Statistics Report 2012.
  
  Life expectancy at birth
  Life expectancy from 1950 to 2020 (UN World Population Prospects):
  
  Ethnic groups
  
  Tswana 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, Other 7% (including Kgalagadi, Indians and Whites).
  
  Languages
  
  Setswana 77.3%, Kalanga 7.4%, Sekgalagadi 3.4%, English 2.8%, Shona 2.0%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sehambukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1.0%, Others 2.8%. (2011 est.)
  
  Religions
  
   Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, Other 1.4% (includes the Baháʼí Faith, Hindu, Islam, Rastafari), None 15.2%, Unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
  
  Other demographic statistics 
  
  Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.
  
  One birth every 10 minutes	
  One death every 37 minutes	
  One net migrant every 180 minutes	
  Net gain of one person every 12 minutes
  
  The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook.
  
  Population
  2,359,609 (2022)
  2,350,667 (July 2021 est.)
  2,214,858 (July 2017 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: 30.54% (male 357,065/female 350,550)
  15-24 years: 18.31% (male 208,824/female 215,462)
  25-54 years: 39.67% (male 434,258/female 484,922)
  55-64 years: 5.92% (male 59,399/female 77,886)
  65 years and over: 5.56% (male 53,708/female 75,159) (2020 est.)
  
  Total fertility rate
  2.39 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 74th
  The total fertility rate is 2.42 children born/woman (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 74th
  
  Population growth rate
  1.4% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 68th
  1.43% (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 67th
  1.55% (2017 est.)
  
  Birth rate
  20.28 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 70th
  20.6 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 71st
  22.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  
  Death rate
  9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 59th
  9.12 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 61st
  9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  
  Median age
  Total: 25.7 years. Country comparison to the world: 157th
  Male: 24.5 years 
  Female: 26.7 years (2020 est.)
  
  Total: 24.5 years
  Male: 23.5 years
  Female: 25.6 years (2017 est.)
  
  Net migration rate
  2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 41st
  2.85 migrants/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 38th
  
  Urbanization
  urban population: 72.2% of total population (2022)
  rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
  
  Urban population: 70.9% of total population (2020)
  Rate of urbanization: 2.87% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)
  
  Sex ratio
  At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
  
  Life expectancy at birth
  total population: 65.64 years
  male: 63.6 years
  female: 67.74 years (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 200th
  
  Total population: 65.2 years
  Male: 63.2 years
  Female: 67.3 years (2021 est.)
  
  Contraceptive prevalence rate
  67.4% (2017)
  
  Maternal mortality rate
  144 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 59th
  
  HIV/AIDS
  
  Adult prevalence rate: 22.2% (2019 est.)
  People living with HIV/AIDS: 380,000 (2019 est.)
  Deaths due to AIDS: 5,000 (2019 est.) Country comparison to the world: 25th
  
  Physicians density
  0.53 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
  
  Hospital bed density
  1.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)
  
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate
  18.9% (2016)
  
  Major infectious diseases
  Degree of risk: high (2020)
  Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  Vectorborne disease: malaria
  
  Nationality
  Noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  Adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  
  Literacy
  Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  Total population: 88.5%
  Male: 88%
  Female: 88.9% (2015 est.)
  
  Education expenditure
  8.7% of total GDP (2007)
  
  Sanitation facility access
  Improved: 
  Urban: 92.9% of population
  Rural: 60.8% of population
  Total: 82.8% of population
  
  Unimproved: 
  Urban: 7.1% of population
  Rural: 39.2% of population
  Total: 17.2% of population (2017 est.)
  
  Migrants
  
  According to the United Nations, there were 110,596 international migrants in Botswana in 2019.  Their most common countries of origin were as follows:
  
  References
  
  Botswana Demographics 2001 Central Statistics Office (Botswana), Census and Demographic Statistics for the year 2001.