Botswana vs Namibia
Botswana vs Namibia: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: 1.64% a year in Botswana and 2.37% a year in Namibia, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Namibia, by 0.73 percentage points, or 1.44 times that in Botswana.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- Namibia has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Botswana.
- In 2023, Botswana ranked 67 and Namibia ranked 32 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Botswana at -0.16% a year and Namibia at 0.09% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | Botswana | Namibia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.64 | 2.37 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 1.64 | 2.66 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 1.53 | 2.9 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 1.45 | 3.01 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 1.43 | 2.81 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | 1.42 | 2.79 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | 1.42 | 2.76 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 1.42 | 2.72 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | 1.42 | 2.68 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | 1.43 | 2.63 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 1.48 | 2.6 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | 1.54 | 2.61 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | 1.81 | 1.84 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | 2.13 | 1.59 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | 2.09 | 1.51 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | 2.04 | 1.44 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | 1.98 | 1.36 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | 1.83 | 1.26 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | 1.76 | 1.25 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | 1.75 | 1.3 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | 1.77 | 1.59 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 1.99 | 1.93 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | 2.13 | 2.25 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | 2.14 | 2.45 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | 2.18 | 2.52 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | 2.25 | 2.56 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | 2.36 | 2.61 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 2.53 | 2.8 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | 2.72 | 3.01 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | 2.83 | 3.2 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | 2.9 | 3.18 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | 2.72 | 3.17 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | 2.73 | 3.5 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | 2.78 | 8.76 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | 2.78 | 3.78 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | 3.19 | 3.25 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 3.34 | 3.16 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 3.45 | 2.98 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 3.5 | 2.73 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 3.55 | 2.68 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 3.63 | 2.63 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 4.32 | 0.91 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 2.46 | 1.34 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 5.37 | 2.51 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | 6.67 | 0.74 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 5.34 | 2.72 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 5.2 | 2.62 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 5.12 | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 4.82 | 3.06 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 5.07 | 2.98 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 4.33 | 3.03 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 2.82 | 2.98 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 0.57 | 2.93 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 0.54 | 2.9 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 0.52 | 2.77 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 0.52 | 2.75 | 2 |
| 1966 | 0.54 | 2.6 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 0.57 | 2.51 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 2.39 | 2.4 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 2.37 | 2.29 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 2.31 | 2.15 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 2.28 | 2.01 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | 2.24 | 1.87 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | 2.19 | 1.72 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | 2.13 | 1.6 | 2 |
| 1957 | 2.09 | 1.48 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | 2.09 | 1.39 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | 2.12 | 1.32 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | 2.19 | 1.28 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | 2.3 | 1.25 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | 2.38 | 1.24 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 2.36 | 1.14 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 2.35 | 1.1 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Botswana | Namibia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.630.34–2.8 | 2.110.22–3.7 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | 1.59-0.09–3.14 | 1.990.03–3.79 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | 1.6-0.38–3.35 | 1.89-0.28–3.91 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | 1.54-0.66–3.39 | 1.86-0.13–3.86 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | 1.53-0.79–3.55 | 1.79-0.32–3.79 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | 1.46-0.92–3.57 | 1.76-0.38–3.97 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | 1.45-1.1–3.62 | 1.76-0.27–3.75 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | 1.36-1–3.49 | 1.72-0.44–3.75 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | 1.35-1.36–3.55 | 1.66-0.45–3.7 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | 1.29-1.29–3.61 | 1.58-0.56–3.71 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | 1.26-1.48–3.61 | 1.57-0.58–3.58 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | 1.22-1.55–3.53 | 1.56-0.39–3.68 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | 1.19-1.42–3.59 | 1.52-0.61–3.53 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | 1.15-1.48–3.55 | 1.5-0.68–3.57 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | 1.11-1.56–3.45 | 1.51-0.62–3.59 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | 1.09-1.62–3.42 | 1.43-0.85–3.46 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | 1.05-1.61–3.51 | 1.38-0.81–3.42 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | 1.02-1.68–3.44 | 1.39-0.86–3.33 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | 0.98-1.72–3.51 | 1.37-0.69–3.44 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | 0.99-1.75–3.53 | 1.38-0.89–3.39 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | 0.96-1.73–3.52 | 1.34-0.9–3.46 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | 0.96-1.63–3.57 | 1.37-0.78–3.49 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | 0.96-1.85–3.66 | 1.28-0.94–3.52 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | 0.93-1.74–3.58 | 1.29-1.03–3.46 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | 0.89-1.88–3.45 | 1.18-1.06–3.42 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | 0.86-1.95–3.46 | 1.13-1.28–3.3 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | 0.82-2.04–3.49 | 1.18-1.14–3.33 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | 0.8-1.96–3.48 | 1.14-0.99–3.22 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | 0.79-1.97–3.41 | 1.1-1.08–3.14 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | 0.75-2.06–3.41 | 1.08-1.1–3.15 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | 0.7-2.27–3.21 | 1.03-1.34–3.15 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | 0.69-2.21–3.27 | 1.03-1.26–3.04 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | 0.65-2.52–3.13 | 0.98-1.28–3.09 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | 0.66-2.32–3.16 | 0.94-1.31–3.13 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | 0.63-2.34–3.35 | 0.92-1.44–3.19 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | 0.55-2.45–3.2 | 0.88-1.43–3.18 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | 0.54-2.35–3.04 | 0.89-1.37–3.09 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | 0.52-2.43–3.15 | 0.81-1.52–2.95 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | 0.47-2.42–3.12 | 0.8-1.49–2.9 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | 0.42-2.68–3.09 | 0.77-1.53–2.92 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | 0.4-2.65–3.09 | 0.71-1.77–3.02 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | 0.38-2.72–3.06 | 0.68-1.7–2.9 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | 0.33-2.71–3.06 | 0.71-1.59–2.86 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | 0.33-2.75–2.94 | 0.68-1.57–2.91 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | 0.27-2.63–2.89 | 0.65-1.58–2.91 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | 0.26-2.74–2.89 | 0.6-1.81–2.96 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | 0.19-2.72–2.8 | 0.57-1.71–2.97 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | 0.18-2.74–2.82 | 0.56-1.86–2.7 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | 0.2-2.89–2.89 | 0.54-1.91–2.66 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | 0.15-2.97–2.85 | 0.51-1.78–2.65 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | 0.15-2.99–2.74 | 0.53-1.76–2.69 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | 0.15-3.1–2.83 | 0.53-1.89–2.77 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | 0.14-3.09–2.81 | 0.49-1.83–2.73 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | 0.12-3.12–2.88 | 0.47-1.88–2.64 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | 0.12-3.13–2.87 | 0.45-2.01–2.64 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | 0.07-3.11–2.84 | 0.41-2.02–2.64 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | 0.05-3.27–2.84 | 0.43-1.96–2.63 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | 0.03-3.27–2.75 | 0.41-2.06–2.71 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | 0.05-3.34–2.83 | 0.37-2.01–2.58 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | 0.04-3.39–2.86 | 0.34-2.21–2.46 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | 0.04-3.43–2.76 | 0.32-2.22–2.58 | -0 |
| 2085 | 0.01-3.47–2.7 | 0.3-2.19–2.62 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | 0.01-3.47–2.63 | 0.33-2.42–2.61 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | 0.02-3.67–2.67 | 0.29-2.46–2.48 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | -0-3.8–2.53 | 0.27-2.24–2.63 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | -0.02-3.85–2.67 | 0.23-2.32–2.49 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | -0.07-3.95–2.55 | 0.25-2.2–2.54 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | -0.11-3.91–2.62 | 0.21-2.44–2.53 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | -0.1-3.54–2.68 | 0.21-2.5–2.45 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | -0.1-3.81–2.6 | 0.19-2.31–2.54 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | -0.11-3.61–2.75 | 0.14-2.54–2.34 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | -0.11-3.81–2.79 | 0.13-2.44–2.41 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | -0.13-3.97–2.78 | 0.07-2.64–2.33 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | -0.14-4.15–2.66 | 0.08-2.54–2.36 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | -0.16-4.13–2.6 | 0.09-2.64–2.35 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | -0.13-4.04–2.85 | 0.09-2.52–2.49 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | -0.16-4.06–2.57 | 0.09-2.67–2.55 | -0.13 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How fast the population grew or shrank in a year: births minus deaths, plus people moving in minus people moving out.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Botswana vs Namibia
Health
- Life expectancyBotswana: 69.2 years in 2023Namibia: 67.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBotswana: 3.3 per 100 live births in 2024Namibia: 4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBotswana: 28.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Namibia: 27.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBotswana: 3.97% in 2017Namibia: 3.46% in 2017
- Suicide rateBotswana: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017Namibia: 11.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBotswana: 2.48 million people in 2023Namibia: 2.96 million people in 2023
- Fertility rateBotswana: 2.73 births per woman in 2023Namibia: 3.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBotswana: 68% in 2025Namibia: 50.9% in 2025
- Median ageBotswana: 22.9 years in 2023Namibia: 21 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBotswana: 4% in 2023Namibia: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateBotswana: -2.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Namibia: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBotswana: 3.11% of GDP in 2025Namibia: 2.77% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBotswana: $595M in 2025Namibia: $386M in 2025
- Military spending per personBotswana: $242 in 2025Namibia: $134 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBotswana: 8.9% of government spending in 2025Namibia: 7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBotswana: 9,000 people in 2020Namibia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerBotswana: 0.02% of world capability in 2022Namibia: 0.02% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBotswana: 0.92% of the labour force in 2020Namibia: 1.67% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBotswana: 11 million TIV in 2024Namibia: 0 TIV in 2025