Monday, 2 November 2026 New DelhiLondonNew YorkDubaiTokyo
INDEPENDENT THINKING.
SHARED UNDERSTANDING.International edition · Correspondents across India and around the world
RationalTimes●
A little less noise.
A little more perspective.
Subscribe
BREAKING
TechBinance hack: about $6.4bn stolen and $2.7bn frozen, analysts say MarketsChristine Lagarde to step down as ECB president on 7 February 2027 UNUN Security Council holds its seventh straw poll for the next Secretary-General IsraelIsrael: near-final count gives Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats and Eisenkot’s 48; official results on 4 November ClimateCOP31 climate talks open in Antalya, Türkiye, on 9 November USAmericans vote in the midterm elections on 3 November TechnologyNorth Korea-linked hackers steal about $6.4 billion from Binance in the biggest crypto theft on record, analysts say WorldSpain mourns after a high-speed train ploughs into a stationary train near Toledo, killing at least 68 WorldIsrael’s election ends without a clear winner as exit polls leave both blocs short of a majority WorldSaudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles and drones as Egypt’s parliament backs military support PoliticsLula wins Brazil’s presidential runoff as Flávio Bolsonaro concedes
Flag of Botswana

Botswana.

Capital: Gaborone · Africa · Southern Africa

0stories
Population2.56 million2025 · World Bank
GDP, current US$$19.4 billion2023 · World Bank
GDP per person$7,8202023 · calculated
Area582,000 km²Landlocked
Inflation (consumer prices)2.8%2024 · World Bank
No stories from Botswana yet. When our correspondents file from here, their reports will appear on this page. Report from Botswana — join us →
Country profile

Botswana at a glance

Official name
Republic of Botswana
Capital
Gaborone
Population
2.56 million (2025)
GDP, current US$
$19.4 billion (2023)
GDP per person
$7,820 (2023)
Area
582,000 km²
Languages
English, Tswana
Currency
Botswana pula (BWP, P)
Time
UTC+02:00
Dialling code
+267
Internet domain
.bw
People
Motswana
Land borders
Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
UN member
Yes
Landlocked
Yes
Official statistics

Botswana in numbers

Data hub

Population

1960–2025 · World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL)

0500K1M1.5M2M2.5M3M1960198020002020BotswanaBotswana 1960: 516.2KBotswana 1961: 527.9KBotswana 1962: 540.2KBotswana 1963: 553KBotswana 1964: 566.3KBotswana 1965: 574.7KBotswana 1966: 577.9KBotswana 1967: 580.9KBotswana 1968: 584KBotswana 1969: 587.1KBotswana 1970: 590.3KBotswana 1971: 600.5KBotswana 1972: 622.4KBotswana 1973: 652.4KBotswana 1974: 685.4KBotswana 1975: 720.4KBotswana 1976: 758.5KBotswana 1977: 799.6KBotswana 1978: 849.2KBotswana 1979: 901.7KBotswana 1980: 937.5KBotswana 1981: 970KBotswana 1982: 1MBotswana 1983: 1MBotswana 1984: 1.1MBotswana 1985: 1.1MBotswana 1986: 1.2MBotswana 1987: 1.2MBotswana 1988: 1.2MBotswana 1989: 1.3MBotswana 1990: 1.3MBotswana 1991: 1.3MBotswana 1992: 1.4MBotswana 1993: 1.4MBotswana 1994: 1.5MBotswana 1995: 1.5MBotswana 1996: 1.5MBotswana 1997: 1.6MBotswana 1998: 1.6MBotswana 1999: 1.6MBotswana 2000: 1.7MBotswana 2001: 1.7MBotswana 2002: 1.7MBotswana 2003: 1.8MBotswana 2004: 1.8MBotswana 2005: 1.8MBotswana 2006: 1.9MBotswana 2007: 1.9MBotswana 2008: 1.9MBotswana 2009: 2MBotswana 2010: 2MBotswana 2011: 2.1MBotswana 2012: 2.1MBotswana 2013: 2.1MBotswana 2014: 2.2MBotswana 2015: 2.2MBotswana 2016: 2.2MBotswana 2017: 2.3MBotswana 2018: 2.3MBotswana 2019: 2.3MBotswana 2020: 2.4MBotswana 2021: 2.4MBotswana 2022: 2.4MBotswana 2023: 2.5MBotswana 2024: 2.5MBotswana 2025: 2.6M01M2M3M1960198020002020BotswanaBotswana 1960: 516.2KBotswana 1961: 527.9KBotswana 1962: 540.2KBotswana 1963: 553KBotswana 1964: 566.3KBotswana 1965: 574.7KBotswana 1966: 577.9KBotswana 1967: 580.9KBotswana 1968: 584KBotswana 1969: 587.1KBotswana 1970: 590.3KBotswana 1971: 600.5KBotswana 1972: 622.4KBotswana 1973: 652.4KBotswana 1974: 685.4KBotswana 1975: 720.4KBotswana 1976: 758.5KBotswana 1977: 799.6KBotswana 1978: 849.2KBotswana 1979: 901.7KBotswana 1980: 937.5KBotswana 1981: 970KBotswana 1982: 1MBotswana 1983: 1MBotswana 1984: 1.1MBotswana 1985: 1.1MBotswana 1986: 1.2MBotswana 1987: 1.2MBotswana 1988: 1.2MBotswana 1989: 1.3MBotswana 1990: 1.3MBotswana 1991: 1.3MBotswana 1992: 1.4MBotswana 1993: 1.4MBotswana 1994: 1.5MBotswana 1995: 1.5MBotswana 1996: 1.5MBotswana 1997: 1.6MBotswana 1998: 1.6MBotswana 1999: 1.6MBotswana 2000: 1.7MBotswana 2001: 1.7MBotswana 2002: 1.7MBotswana 2003: 1.8MBotswana 2004: 1.8MBotswana 2005: 1.8MBotswana 2006: 1.9MBotswana 2007: 1.9MBotswana 2008: 1.9MBotswana 2009: 2MBotswana 2010: 2MBotswana 2011: 2.1MBotswana 2012: 2.1MBotswana 2013: 2.1MBotswana 2014: 2.2MBotswana 2015: 2.2MBotswana 2016: 2.2MBotswana 2017: 2.3MBotswana 2018: 2.3MBotswana 2019: 2.3MBotswana 2020: 2.4MBotswana 2021: 2.4MBotswana 2022: 2.4MBotswana 2023: 2.5MBotswana 2024: 2.5MBotswana 2025: 2.6M

GDP, current US$

1960–2023 · World Bank (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)

$0$5B$10B$15B$20B$25B1960198020002020BotswanaBotswana 1960: $30.4MBotswana 1961: $32.9MBotswana 1962: $35.6MBotswana 1963: $38.1MBotswana 1964: $41.6MBotswana 1965: $45.8MBotswana 1966: $51.5MBotswana 1967: $58.6MBotswana 1968: $66.2MBotswana 1969: $77.4MBotswana 1970: $96.2MBotswana 1971: $127.4MBotswana 1972: $164.5MBotswana 1973: $244.1MBotswana 1974: $306MBotswana 1975: $355.2MBotswana 1976: $372MBotswana 1977: $451.6MBotswana 1978: $590.4MBotswana 1979: $819.9MBotswana 1980: $1.1BBotswana 1981: $1.1BBotswana 1982: $1BBotswana 1983: $1.2BBotswana 1984: $1.2BBotswana 1985: $1.1BBotswana 1986: $1.4BBotswana 1987: $2BBotswana 1988: $2.6BBotswana 1989: $3.1BBotswana 1990: $3.8BBotswana 1991: $3.9BBotswana 1992: $4.1BBotswana 1993: $4.2BBotswana 1994: $4.3BBotswana 1995: $4.7BBotswana 1996: $4.8BBotswana 1997: $5BBotswana 1998: $4.8BBotswana 1999: $5.5BBotswana 2000: $5.8BBotswana 2001: $5.5BBotswana 2002: $5.4BBotswana 2003: $7.5BBotswana 2004: $9BBotswana 2005: $9.9BBotswana 2006: $9.9BBotswana 2007: $10.6BBotswana 2008: $10.7BBotswana 2009: $10.1BBotswana 2010: $12.6BBotswana 2011: $15.1BBotswana 2012: $13.9BBotswana 2013: $14.3BBotswana 2014: $15.5BBotswana 2015: $13.5BBotswana 2016: $15.1BBotswana 2017: $16.1BBotswana 2018: $17BBotswana 2019: $16.7BBotswana 2020: $15BBotswana 2021: $18.8BBotswana 2022: $20.3BBotswana 2023: $19.4B$0$5B$10B$15B$20B$25B1960198020002020BotswanaBotswana 1960: $30.4MBotswana 1961: $32.9MBotswana 1962: $35.6MBotswana 1963: $38.1MBotswana 1964: $41.6MBotswana 1965: $45.8MBotswana 1966: $51.5MBotswana 1967: $58.6MBotswana 1968: $66.2MBotswana 1969: $77.4MBotswana 1970: $96.2MBotswana 1971: $127.4MBotswana 1972: $164.5MBotswana 1973: $244.1MBotswana 1974: $306MBotswana 1975: $355.2MBotswana 1976: $372MBotswana 1977: $451.6MBotswana 1978: $590.4MBotswana 1979: $819.9MBotswana 1980: $1.1BBotswana 1981: $1.1BBotswana 1982: $1BBotswana 1983: $1.2BBotswana 1984: $1.2BBotswana 1985: $1.1BBotswana 1986: $1.4BBotswana 1987: $2BBotswana 1988: $2.6BBotswana 1989: $3.1BBotswana 1990: $3.8BBotswana 1991: $3.9BBotswana 1992: $4.1BBotswana 1993: $4.2BBotswana 1994: $4.3BBotswana 1995: $4.7BBotswana 1996: $4.8BBotswana 1997: $5BBotswana 1998: $4.8BBotswana 1999: $5.5BBotswana 2000: $5.8BBotswana 2001: $5.5BBotswana 2002: $5.4BBotswana 2003: $7.5BBotswana 2004: $9BBotswana 2005: $9.9BBotswana 2006: $9.9BBotswana 2007: $10.6BBotswana 2008: $10.7BBotswana 2009: $10.1BBotswana 2010: $12.6BBotswana 2011: $15.1BBotswana 2012: $13.9BBotswana 2013: $14.3BBotswana 2014: $15.5BBotswana 2015: $13.5BBotswana 2016: $15.1BBotswana 2017: $16.1BBotswana 2018: $17BBotswana 2019: $16.7BBotswana 2020: $15BBotswana 2021: $18.8BBotswana 2022: $20.3BBotswana 2023: $19.4B

Inflation (consumer prices)

1980–2024 · World Bank (FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG)

0%5%10%15%20%19801990200020102020BotswanaBotswana 1980: 13.6%Botswana 1981: 16.4%Botswana 1982: 11.1%Botswana 1983: 10.5%Botswana 1984: 8.58%Botswana 1985: 8.09%Botswana 1986: 10%Botswana 1987: 9.8%Botswana 1988: 8.35%Botswana 1989: 11.6%Botswana 1990: 11.4%Botswana 1991: 11.8%Botswana 1992: 16.2%Botswana 1993: 14.3%Botswana 1994: 10.5%Botswana 1995: 10.5%Botswana 1996: 10.1%Botswana 1997: 8.72%Botswana 1998: 6.66%Botswana 1999: 7.75%Botswana 2000: 8.6%Botswana 2001: 6.56%Botswana 2002: 8.03%Botswana 2003: 9.19%Botswana 2004: 6.95%Botswana 2005: 8.61%Botswana 2006: 11.6%Botswana 2007: 7.08%Botswana 2008: 12.7%Botswana 2009: 8.03%Botswana 2010: 6.95%Botswana 2011: 8.46%Botswana 2012: 7.54%Botswana 2013: 5.88%Botswana 2014: 4.4%Botswana 2015: 3.06%Botswana 2016: 2.82%Botswana 2017: 3.31%Botswana 2018: 3.24%Botswana 2019: 2.77%Botswana 2020: 1.89%Botswana 2021: 7.24%Botswana 2022: 11.7%Botswana 2023: 5.07%Botswana 2024: 2.82%0%5%10%15%20%198020002020BotswanaBotswana 1980: 13.6%Botswana 1981: 16.4%Botswana 1982: 11.1%Botswana 1983: 10.5%Botswana 1984: 8.58%Botswana 1985: 8.09%Botswana 1986: 10%Botswana 1987: 9.8%Botswana 1988: 8.35%Botswana 1989: 11.6%Botswana 1990: 11.4%Botswana 1991: 11.8%Botswana 1992: 16.2%Botswana 1993: 14.3%Botswana 1994: 10.5%Botswana 1995: 10.5%Botswana 1996: 10.1%Botswana 1997: 8.72%Botswana 1998: 6.66%Botswana 1999: 7.75%Botswana 2000: 8.6%Botswana 2001: 6.56%Botswana 2002: 8.03%Botswana 2003: 9.19%Botswana 2004: 6.95%Botswana 2005: 8.61%Botswana 2006: 11.6%Botswana 2007: 7.08%Botswana 2008: 12.7%Botswana 2009: 8.03%Botswana 2010: 6.95%Botswana 2011: 8.46%Botswana 2012: 7.54%Botswana 2013: 5.88%Botswana 2014: 4.4%Botswana 2015: 3.06%Botswana 2016: 2.82%Botswana 2017: 3.31%Botswana 2018: 3.24%Botswana 2019: 2.77%Botswana 2020: 1.89%Botswana 2021: 7.24%Botswana 2022: 11.7%Botswana 2023: 5.07%Botswana 2024: 2.82%

More from Africa

See all