Identity
- Official name
- Republic of Botswana
- Status
- Sovereign country profile
- Demonym
- Motswana
- Codes
- BW / BWA
Daily discoveryDid you know?
Gaborone is the capital city.
BWRepublic of BotswanaSovereign country profile
Botswana
Botswana is in Southern Africa. This profile brings its status, flag, geography, people, languages, and latest available indicators into one clear visual story.
FlagBWA · 024 / 207
🇧🇼 The flag shown for Botswana. Profile code: BW / BWA.
01Population2.6M
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
02CapitalGaborone
Republic of Botswana
03CurrencyBWP
Botswana pula (BWP)
04Life expectancy69.6 years
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
National anthemFatshe leno la ronaInstrumental audio · Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons · 0:57
Basic info
Expanded country facts
Core identity, people, geography, government, and practical reference data in one scan-friendly board.
People
- Population
- 2.6M · UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
- Median age
- 23.7 years · UN DESA 2026 medium projection
- Languages
- English, Tswana
- Largest cities
- Gaborone
Place
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Southern Africa
- Area
- 582,000 km²
- Coordinates
- 22.0° S, 24.0° E
Practical
- Currency
- Botswana pula (BWP)
- Calling code
- +267
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Government
- Type
- parliamentary republic
- Head of state
- Duma Boko
- Head of government
- Not published
- Constitution
- Comparable date pending
Geography
- Connections
- This profile has land borders and no coastline.
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Highest point
- Otse Hill
- Driving side
- Left
Compare profiles
See Botswana
in context.
Start with a neighbor or a similar regional profile, then adjust the matchup across the complete atlas.
At a glance
Meet
Botswana.
Botswana is a landlocked profile in Southern Africa. Its status is sovereign country profile.
RegionSouthern Africa
DemonymMotswana
Area582,000 km²
Calling code+267
Economy
The latest available indicators.
Economic values use the latest non-empty World Bank year from 2019–2026, shown below each figure.
GDP$19.9B2025 · current USD
GDP per person$7.8K2025 · current USD
GDP growth-0.7%2025 annual growth
A deeper profile
People, systems
& everyday life.
Comparable facts are shown with clear dates and neutral framing. Gaps stay visible instead of being filled with guesses.
How people live
Urban 68.0%Rural 32.0%
World Bank · 2025- Median age
- 23.7 years
- Languages
- English, Tswana
- Capital / principal city
- Gaborone
Ethnic and religious categories vary by national census and are not presented without a directly comparable, dated source.
Placed in context
Population0.1× atlas average
GDP#133 of 192
Population compares the 207 atlas profiles. GDP ranking includes profiles with a published World Bank value.
A concise timeline
Wikidata records the current state as dating from 1966. Earlier state forms, independence milestones, and later constitutional changes may use different dates, so this is a starting point rather than a complete national timeline.
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Head of state
- Duma Boko
- Head of government
- Not published
- Current constitution
- Comparable date pending
Land and climate
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Geography
- Botswana is in Southern Africa and has no coastline. Its listed area is 582,000 km².
- Highest point
- Otse Hill
- Major rivers
- Profile-specific value pending
- Natural resources
- Profile-specific value pending
Practical essentials
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +267
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Plug types
- Profile-specific value pending
- Tipping
- Local customs vary by setting
- Emergency numbers
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Remember Botswana
- Gaborone is the capital city.
- Botswana covers 582,000 km².
- Botswana is landlocked.
- It shares land borders with Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Listed official languages include English, Tswana.
- Its international calling code is +267.
- The latest published population in this atlas is 2.6M (2025).
- The listed currency code is BWP.
Connected places
Neighboring profiles
Continue exploring across each listed land border or connected geography.
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
Visual atlas
Botswana in view
People & place
Country
essentials.
English, Tswana
Languages listed in the open country catalog for Botswana.
4 listed connections
This profile has land borders and no coastline.
Botswana pula (BWP)
The primary currency code and name used in the country catalog.
Identity card
Four essentials
BWTwo-letter country code
BWAThree-letter country code
GaboroneCapital city
AfricaWorld region
Sources & notes
Numbers you can trace.
Statistics show their reference year because country data changes. Unavailable values are clearly marked instead of estimated.
- UN DESA World Population Prospects — population, age, sex balance, and longevity ↗
- World Bank — latest available economic indicators ↗
- World Bank — urban population share ↗
- Wikidata — government and current officeholders ↗
- National anthem audio source — Fatshe leno la rona ↗
- Open country catalog — names, codes and geography ↗
- OpenStreetMap — map data ↗
Verified data & AI projection
Botswana
Special Report.
Botswana is profiled through long-run World Bank indicators covering the economy, population, health, work, technology, and environment. Southern Africa context, landlocked geography, demographic direction, and long-run development indicators.
Current demographic baselineUN DESA · 2026
Medium projection from World Population Prospects, 2024 Revision
Executive read
What the numbers suggest
- Population has moved up since 2000, giving the report a clear demographic baseline.
- Life expectancy is higher than in 2000, showing the direction of health and longevity conditions.
- Recent GDP growth averages 3.4% across the latest 5 available observations.
Human development pressure
3MPopulation base
75.7 yrsLife expectancy
2.31Fertility rate
83.3%Internet access
2035 scenarios are simple educational trend projections from recent historical observations. They are not official forecasts.
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
HighGDP growth
20001.99%
2025-0.73%
2035 base2.69%
Low1.49%Base2.69%High3.89%
recent average · % annual
people · SP.POP.GROW
HighPopulation growth
20002.13%
20251.61%
2035 base1.91%
Low1.81%Base1.91%High2.01%
linear trend · % annual
people · SP.POP.TOTL
HighPopulation
20001.7M
20252.6M
2035 base3M
Low2.8MBase3MHigh3.1M
compound trend · people
health · SP.DYN.LE00.IN
HighLife expectancy
200052.3 yrs
202469.3 yrs
2035 base75.7 yrs
Low73.5 yrsBase75.7 yrsHigh78.0 yrs
linear trend · years
people · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
HighFertility rate
20003.29
20242.70
2035 base2.31
Low2.45Base2.31High2.18
linear trend · births per woman
people · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
HighUrban population
200053.2%
202568.0%
2035 base70.1%
Low69.4%Base70.1%High70.9%
linear trend · % of total
economy · FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
HighInflation
20008.60%
20252.66%
2035 base4.35%
Low3.76%Base4.35%High4.94%
recent average · % annual
work · SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
HighUnemployment
200015.9%
202524.5%
2035 base21.8%
Low22.7%Base21.8%High20.9%
recent average · % labor force
economy · NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
HighGDP per capita
2000$3.5K
2025$7.8K
2035 base$9.9K
Low$9.1KBase$9.9KHigh$10.7K
compound trend · current US$
environment · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
HighCO2 per person
20002.44
20242.74
2035 base1.94
Low2.22Base1.94High1.66
linear trend · t CO2e/capita
technology · IT.NET.USER.ZS
MediumInternet access
20002.90%
202457.5%
2035 base83.3%
Low74.2%Base83.3%High92.3%
linear trend · % of people
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
HighGDP
2000$5.8B
2025$19.9B
2035 base$29.4B
Low$25.7BBase$29.4BHigh$33.5B
compound trend · current US$
Educational projection, not an official forecast.Historical values are World Bank observations retrieved 2026-08-13. The 2026 demographic baseline is the official UN DESA medium projection from World Population Prospects 2024. The atlas's 2035 scenarios use simple trend math.