Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana
Botswana: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 16.1% in 2015. ▼ Falling
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana, 1985–2015
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 16.1% for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 47.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana peaked at 59.0% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 16.1%, in 2015.
Botswana ranks 36th of 63 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 59.0% | — |
| 1993 | 32.9% | -44.2% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 19.3% | -36.9% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | -16.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59.0% | 59.0% | 59.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 32.9% | 32.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 25.0% | 19.3% | 30.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 16.1% | 16.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More poverty & inequality data for Botswana
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 0 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 2.73 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 900.4 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 3.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.79 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana?
- Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Botswana was 16.1% in 2015, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 59.0% in 1985.
- What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.1% in 2015.
- How does Botswana rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
- Botswana ranks 36th out of 63 countries with data for 2015.
- Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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