Botswana

All demographic indicators on this page are based on UN mid 2025 estimates unless stated otherwise.

Botswana population (live estimate)

Real-time estimate based on UN demographic growth models.

2,562,000

Annual growth: 1.592%.

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Official population estimates

World population
2,562,000
Median age
23.4
Population growth rate (%)
1.592 ▲ Population is growing

This map shows first-level administrative regions (ADM1).

Key Facts

  • Capital: Gaborone
  • Official language: English
  • Region: Southern Africa
  • Continent: Africa

Languages

A brief overview of the linguistic situation in the country.

Official language
English
Minority language
5
Working / administrative language
1

Botswana recognizes English and Setswana as its main national languages. Setswana is spoken by the majority of the population, functioning as a strong lingua franca. Several minority languages, including Kalanga, Sekgalagadi, Wayeyi, Herero, and San languages, are spoken across various regions.

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Religions

A brief overview of the religious composition of the country.

Dominant religion
Christianity
Largest share
82.3%
Number of religions
7

The population is concentrated around Gaborone, Francistown, and eastern regions. Rural communities maintain local Indigenous languages. San communities in western and northern areas preserve highly distinct linguistic traditions.

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Cities

A brief overview of the major cities and urban structure of the country.

Largest city
Gaborone
Number of cities
4

The cities shown here represent major urban centres with populations over 50,000, as defined by the UN Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology. Smaller towns and rural settlements are not included.

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