Botswana vs Zimbabwe
Botswana vs Zimbabwe: Infant mortality
Infant mortality in 2023: 28.4 per 1,000 live births in Botswana and 33.2 per 1,000 live births in Zimbabwe, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Zimbabwe, by 4.8 per 1,000 live births, or 1.17 times that in Botswana.
deaths per 1,000 live births · UN
What the numbers say
- Zimbabwe has been higher since 1974, when it overtook Botswana.
- In 2023, Botswana ranked 50 and Zimbabwe ranked 34 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Botswana at 6.8 per 1,000 live births and Zimbabwe at 8.9 per 1,000 live births in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 27.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023.
Every year
deaths per 1,000 live births · UN
| Year | Botswana | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 28.4 | 33.2 | 27.3 |
| 2022 | 29.2 | 34.1 | 28.2 |
| 2021 | 30 | 34.8 | 28.4 |
| 2020 | 30.9 | 35.7 | 28.7 |
| 2019 | 31.8 | 36.8 | 29.2 |
| 2018 | 32.8 | 37.7 | 29.7 |
| 2017 | 33.7 | 38.9 | 30.3 |
| 2016 | 34.8 | 40.2 | 31.1 |
| 2015 | 36 | 41.8 | 32.1 |
| 2014 | 37.3 | 43.8 | 32.9 |
| 2013 | 38.6 | 46.3 | 33.9 |
| 2012 | 40 | 49 | 35 |
| 2011 | 41.4 | 51.9 | 36.8 |
| 2010 | 42.7 | 54.6 | 37.7 |
| 2009 | 44 | 57.5 | 39.1 |
| 2008 | 45.4 | 59.2 | 40.4 |
| 2007 | 46.7 | 59.5 | 42 |
| 2006 | 48.7 | 59.8 | 43.7 |
| 2005 | 49.5 | 59.8 | 45.4 |
| 2004 | 50.8 | 59.7 | 47.2 |
| 2003 | 52 | 59.7 | 48.8 |
| 2002 | 52.9 | 60.1 | 50.6 |
| 2001 | 53.5 | 60.6 | 52.2 |
| 2000 | 53.7 | 61.4 | 53.7 |
| 1999 | 53.4 | 62.2 | 55.5 |
| 1998 | 52.8 | 62.7 | 57.1 |
| 1997 | 51.8 | 63 | 58.3 |
| 1996 | 50.2 | 63.1 | 59.6 |
| 1995 | 48.5 | 62.1 | 60.8 |
| 1994 | 46.2 | 60.9 | 62 |
| 1993 | 43.8 | 59.4 | 62.9 |
| 1992 | 41.5 | 57.5 | 64.1 |
| 1991 | 39.5 | 55.7 | 64.9 |
| 1990 | 38.1 | 54.2 | 64.9 |
| 1989 | 37.4 | 53.2 | 66.2 |
| 1988 | 37.8 | 52.8 | 68 |
| 1987 | 37.9 | 53.2 | 68.6 |
| 1986 | 39.1 | 54.3 | 70.8 |
| 1985 | 40.6 | 56.1 | 72.9 |
| 1984 | 42.5 | 58.4 | 74.6 |
| 1983 | 44.6 | 61.4 | 76.1 |
| 1982 | 46.8 | 63.7 | 76.6 |
| 1981 | 49.3 | 66.1 | 78.7 |
| 1980 | 51.9 | 68.1 | 80.6 |
| 1979 | 54.8 | 69.8 | 82.5 |
| 1978 | 57.8 | 70.5 | 84.7 |
| 1977 | 60.9 | 71.1 | 86.4 |
| 1976 | 64 | 71.4 | 88.1 |
| 1975 | 67.1 | 71.5 | 89.6 |
| 1974 | 70.2 | 71.6 | 90.9 |
| 1973 | 73.1 | 71.7 | 92.1 |
| 1972 | 76 | 72 | 93.6 |
| 1971 | 78.7 | 72.5 | 96.1 |
| 1970 | 81.2 | 73.1 | 96.9 |
| 1969 | 83.6 | 74 | 98.3 |
| 1968 | 85.9 | 75.2 | 100.2 |
| 1967 | 88.1 | 76.6 | 103.1 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 78.1 | 104.9 |
| 1965 | 92.3 | 79.8 | 106.4 |
| 1964 | 94.3 | 81.6 | 106.1 |
| 1963 | 96.4 | 83.4 | 107.7 |
| 1962 | 98.6 | 85.2 | 110.2 |
| 1961 | 100.9 | 87 | 121.5 |
| 1960 | 103.3 | 88.7 | 131.8 |
| 1959 | 105.7 | 90.4 | 125.7 |
| 1958 | 108.2 | 92 | 117.7 |
| 1957 | 110.7 | 93.4 | 120 |
| 1956 | 113.1 | 94.8 | 121.9 |
| 1955 | 115.4 | 96.2 | 124.8 |
| 1954 | 117.6 | 97.5 | 127.7 |
| 1953 | 119.6 | 98.9 | 130.1 |
| 1952 | 121.6 | 100.2 | 132.7 |
| 1951 | 123.5 | 101.6 | 136 |
| 1950 | 125.4 | 103 | 138.1 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Botswana | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27.822.2–34.2 | 32.227.2–37.3 | 26.9 |
| 2025 | 27.219.8–36.3 | 31.424.8–39.4 | 26.4 |
| 2026 | 26.517.8–37.8 | 30.522.5–40.2 | 25.9 |
| 2027 | 25.916–38.7 | 29.820.2–40.8 | 25.4 |
| 2028 | 25.415.1–39 | 29.118.7–41.1 | 24.9 |
| 2029 | 24.814–39.3 | 28.317–41.9 | 24.5 |
| 2030 | 24.312.9–40.5 | 27.615.7–41.9 | 24 |
| 2031 | 23.812.3–41.7 | 2714.4–42.9 | 23.6 |
| 2032 | 23.311.4–42.4 | 26.313.1–43.7 | 23.2 |
| 2033 | 22.810.8–42.8 | 25.711.8–42.9 | 22.8 |
| 2034 | 22.310.4–43.2 | 25.111.4–43 | 22.3 |
| 2035 | 21.810–43.7 | 24.510.6–43.3 | 21.9 |
| 2036 | 21.49.7–42.8 | 23.910.2–43.4 | 21.5 |
| 2037 | 20.98.8–43.5 | 23.49.7–43.9 | 21.1 |
| 2038 | 20.58.4–43.4 | 22.99.1–44.6 | 20.8 |
| 2039 | 20.18.1–43.6 | 22.48.6–44 | 20.4 |
| 2040 | 19.77.7–43.7 | 21.98.2–44.3 | 20 |
| 2041 | 19.37.5–43.5 | 21.47.8–43.8 | 19.7 |
| 2042 | 18.97.2–43.4 | 217.6–43.6 | 19.4 |
| 2043 | 18.56.8–43.7 | 20.57.2–43.4 | 19 |
| 2044 | 18.16.7–44.1 | 20.16.8–44.1 | 18.7 |
| 2045 | 17.76.2–43.8 | 19.66.7–43.9 | 18.4 |
| 2046 | 17.36.1–43.9 | 19.16.3–44.5 | 18.2 |
| 2047 | 175.7–42.8 | 18.76.5–44.5 | 17.9 |
| 2048 | 16.65.5–43.2 | 18.26.3–43.7 | 17.7 |
| 2049 | 16.25.3–43.8 | 17.86.1–43.7 | 17.5 |
| 2050 | 15.95.1–43.3 | 17.36–43.2 | 17.3 |
| 2051 | 15.55–43.5 | 16.95.8–42.9 | 17.1 |
| 2052 | 15.24.8–44.1 | 16.55.7–42.5 | 16.9 |
| 2053 | 14.94.7–43.3 | 16.15.7–42.2 | 16.7 |
| 2054 | 14.64.4–43.1 | 15.85.4–41.7 | 16.5 |
| 2055 | 14.44.4–42.7 | 15.45.2–41.1 | 16.3 |
| 2056 | 14.24.4–42.3 | 15.15.2–41.3 | 16.1 |
| 2057 | 13.94.4–43.1 | 14.85.1–40.9 | 15.9 |
| 2058 | 13.74.2–43.4 | 14.55.1–39.6 | 15.7 |
| 2059 | 13.44–43.7 | 14.24.9–40.6 | 15.5 |
| 2060 | 13.24–43.6 | 144.8–39.6 | 15.3 |
| 2061 | 12.93.9–42.8 | 13.74.7–39.7 | 15.1 |
| 2062 | 12.73.7–42.4 | 13.54.7–39 | 14.9 |
| 2063 | 12.53.6–42.5 | 13.24.5–39.5 | 14.7 |
| 2064 | 12.23.5–41.8 | 134.5–39.7 | 14.5 |
| 2065 | 123.5–42.1 | 12.84.2–39 | 14.3 |
| 2066 | 11.73.5–42.3 | 12.64.2–39 | 14.1 |
| 2067 | 11.53.3–42.3 | 12.44.2–39.6 | 13.9 |
| 2068 | 11.33.2–41.7 | 12.24.1–39.3 | 13.8 |
| 2069 | 11.13.2–41.5 | 124.1–38.8 | 13.6 |
| 2070 | 10.93–41.5 | 11.83.9–38.5 | 13.4 |
| 2071 | 10.73–41.4 | 11.73.9–38.2 | 13.2 |
| 2072 | 10.53–42.3 | 11.53.9–38.1 | 13 |
| 2073 | 10.32.9–43.7 | 11.43.7–37.4 | 12.9 |
| 2074 | 10.12.9–43.4 | 11.23.7–37.2 | 12.7 |
| 2075 | 9.92.9–42.1 | 11.13.7–36.6 | 12.6 |
| 2076 | 9.82.8–43.2 | 113.6–36.2 | 12.4 |
| 2077 | 9.62.7–42.4 | 10.93.6–36.6 | 12.3 |
| 2078 | 9.42.7–42.1 | 10.83.5–36.9 | 12.1 |
| 2079 | 9.32.6–41.2 | 10.73.4–36.2 | 12 |
| 2080 | 9.12.6–42.1 | 10.63.5–36.5 | 11.8 |
| 2081 | 8.92.5–43.2 | 10.53.5–36.2 | 11.7 |
| 2082 | 8.82.5–41.4 | 10.43.5–36.8 | 11.6 |
| 2083 | 8.62.5–42 | 10.33.4–36.5 | 11.5 |
| 2084 | 8.52.5–41.8 | 10.23.4–36.2 | 11.4 |
| 2085 | 8.32.4–42.3 | 10.13.4–35.4 | 11.3 |
| 2086 | 8.22.4–39.6 | 103.3–34.4 | 11.1 |
| 2087 | 82.3–39.3 | 9.93.2–34.9 | 11 |
| 2088 | 7.92.3–40.5 | 9.83.3–35.4 | 10.9 |
| 2089 | 7.82.2–39.5 | 9.83.2–35.2 | 10.8 |
| 2090 | 7.72.2–39 | 9.73.2–35.8 | 10.7 |
| 2091 | 7.62.2–39.2 | 9.63.3–35.2 | 10.6 |
| 2092 | 7.52.2–39.3 | 9.53.2–35.6 | 10.5 |
| 2093 | 7.42.2–40 | 9.43.1–35.3 | 10.4 |
| 2094 | 7.32.1–39.1 | 9.43–34.9 | 10.3 |
| 2095 | 7.22.2–39.3 | 9.33.1–34.4 | 10.1 |
| 2096 | 7.12.1–38.4 | 9.23.1–33.7 | 10 |
| 2097 | 72.1–40.2 | 9.13.1–32.7 | 9.9 |
| 2098 | 72–39.8 | 9.13–33.4 | 9.8 |
| 2099 | 6.92.1–39.7 | 93–32.9 | 9.7 |
| 2100 | 6.82.1–39.7 | 8.93–33.5 | 9.6 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Babies who die before their first birthday, per 1,000 born alive.
- 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 Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancyBotswana: 69.2 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBotswana: 3.3 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- DepressionBotswana: 3.97% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateBotswana: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBotswana: 2.48 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthBotswana: 1.64% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBotswana: 2.73 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBotswana: 68% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageBotswana: 22.9 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBotswana: 4% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateBotswana: -2.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBotswana: 3.11% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBotswana: $595M in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M in 2025
- Military spending per personBotswana: $242 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBotswana: 8.9% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelBotswana: 9,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerBotswana: 0.02% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBotswana: 0.92% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBotswana: 11 million TIV in 2024Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023