Rural Population (As % of Total) fell 2.30% to 26.5% in Botswana in 2024

Rural Population (As % of Total) (%), 2024
Society | Botswana | September 1, 2025
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Rural population as a share of total population fell 2.30% to 26.5% in Botswana in 2024, according to the National Statistical Office.

Historically, rural population as a share of total population in Botswana reached an all time high of 96.9% in 1960 and an all time low of 26.5% in 2024. When compared to Botswana's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in Namibia amounted to 44.2%, 30.7% in South Africa, 53.1% in Zambia and 67.3% in Zimbabwe in 2024.

Botswana has been ranked 114th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 12 places below the position seen 10 years ago.

Rural Population (As % of Total) Unit 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Angola % 34.5% 33.8% 33.2% 32.5% 31.9%
Botswana % 30.6% 29.8% 29.1% 28.4% 27.8%
Dem. Republic of the Congo % 55.5% 55.0% 54.4% 53.8% 53.2%
Lesotho % 71.8% 71.4% 71.0% 70.5% 70.1%
Mozambique % 64.0% 63.5% 62.9% 62.4% 61.8%
Namibia % 50.0% 49.0% 48.0% 47.0% 46.0%
South Africa % 33.6% 33.1% 32.6% 32.2% 31.7%
Swaziland % 76.2% 76.0% 75.8% 75.6% 75.4%
Tanzania % 66.2% 65.5% 64.8% 64.0% 63.3%
Zambia % 56.5% 55.9% 55.4% 54.8% 54.2%
Zimbabwe % 67.8% 67.8% 67.8% 67.7% 67.6%