Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana
Botswana: Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines was 21.4% in 2015. ▼ Falling
Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana, 1985–2015
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2015, share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana stood at 21.4%.
The figure is down 38.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana peaked at 50.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 21.1%, in 2009.
Botswana ranks 22nd of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 50.1% | 50.1% | 50.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 42.1% | 42.1% | 42.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 27.9% | 21.1% | 34.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 21.4% | 21.4% | 21.4% | 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)
- 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)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.8% (2023)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.49 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 36.0% (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.1469 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.1469 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.1641 (2023)
- Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.4548 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana?
- Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in Botswana was 21.4% in 2015, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 50.1% in 1985.
- What is the lowest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.1% in 2009.
- How does Botswana rank for share in poverty relative to different poverty lines?
- Botswana ranks 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2015.
- Is share in poverty relative to different poverty lines rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.