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Botswana vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 174 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Botswana
bwa
Leads on 70 of 174 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 94 of 174 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 25.2 times as many people as Botswana (65.49 million vs 2.6 million). South Africa's economy is 19.0 times the size of Botswana's ($424.75 billion vs $22.39 billion GDP).

Comparing Botswana and South Africa: South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Botswana (370,000); Botswana leads on Major Urban Areas Population (269,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Botswana leads on Radios (252,720) against South Africa (17). Across 174 compared metrics, Botswana wins on 70 and South Africa wins on 94.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration7.44 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)57.46 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)81.36 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 81% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed7.44 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score57.64 points75.71 points★
Radios252,720★17
Televisions31,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country335.49M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars22.39B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)35.99 %★14.07 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate61.44 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)5.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.452.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.88 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends22 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index66.2★59.6
Electricity Consumption3.64207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels100★85
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables010★
Electricity Imports1.6710.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity735,000★50.02
Electricity Production2.53234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)32.44 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate66.73 %★55.4 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage22.73 %★9.52 %
Gender Wage Gap22.73 %9.52 %★
Gini Index Coefficient53.363★
Gross Fixed Investment27.6★19.5
Gross National Saving40.3★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage3.85 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries17,687.21 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-13.5 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate2.66 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.8 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption15,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports15,590521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line16.1 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)27.54 % of GDP★15.38 % of GDP
Public Debt19.6★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.56 %0.66 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-3 USD0.6 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends4.24 %7.42 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption21,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports21,090195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances0.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million179.77 researchers430.45 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.56 USD0.66 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)42.12★44.62
Tax Burden (% of GDP)22.42 %★25.4 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)22.42 % of GDP25.4 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues19.626★
Top Exporting Countries5.32B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.42 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.1 %★3.7 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.1 %★3.7 %
Unemployment Rate23.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate68.8 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate46 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)212,922★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature21.74 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions5.9★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution685.73 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionthe population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west.the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation27.9 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage27.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country1.7 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources12.2451.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species11 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.23 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)155.25★85.66
Agricultural land258,624 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km566,7301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita427.23 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2516,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country61.77 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions10★9
Corruption Perception Index57 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score57 index★41 index
Independence3031★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.4610.94★
Prison Population Rate210 per 100,000★291 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception5741★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water63.29 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.5 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.67.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders69.29 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.39 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,539.49 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score60 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy69.29 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate18.6 %18.3 %★
Hospital Bed Density1.8 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.47 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.83 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.2 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)155 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth1922.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density3.29 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)18.9 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending4.26 %★6.69 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS370,0007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.410.79★
Underweight Children Under 5NA5.5

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel9,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.11 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)9,00089,000★

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)43.98 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.45★0.42
Life expectancy at birth74.54 years★71.98 years
Median age of population23.69 years29 years★
Population Change42,610.1 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density4.59 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population2.60M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.83★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita3.22 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)21.16 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate67.4 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate24.36 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.8 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)8.1 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age715,830.35 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)25.4 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate7.44 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth102.7 male/female103.52 male/female★
Human Development Index0.450.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate1.1727.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.13 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population269,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)171.63★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.58 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.22 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization70.73 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.38 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.32 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums36.42 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio23.71★30.33
Total deaths12,368.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)66.25 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate2.62 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-6,354.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.88 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.34 %★1.34 %
Voting Age Population52.44 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.170.37★
Airports122573★
Civil Air Travel590★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita395.08M USD5.96B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇼 Botswana🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate5.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Botswana vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Botswana or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 25.2 times as many people as Botswana (65.49 million vs 2.6 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Botswana or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 19.0 times the size of Botswana's ($424.75 billion vs $22.39 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Botswana or South Africa?▾

Botswana is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $8,600 in Botswana vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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