Poverty: Share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana
Botswana: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $8.30 a day was 63.2% in 2015. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $8.30 a day 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, poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana stood at 63.2%.
The figure is down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana peaked at 85.0% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 62.7%, in 2009.
That places Botswana 33rd out of 120 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 85.0% | — |
| 1993 | 80.1% | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 70.6% | -11.8% |
| 2009 | 62.7% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | +0.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 63.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 21.4%, 2.9× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 63.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 89.9%, 70% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 85.0% | 85.0% | 85.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 80.1% | 80.1% | 80.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 66.7% | 62.7% | 70.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 63.2% | 63.2% | 63.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 30 Laos 70.3% compare
- 31 Kyrgyzstan 65.2% compare
- 32 Indonesia 64.1% compare
- 34 South Africa 59.6% compare
- 35 Egypt 58.5% compare
- 36 Tajikistan 55.4% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Botswana
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 0 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day in Botswana was 63.2% in 2015, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 85.0% in 1985.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.7% in 2009.
- How does Botswana rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day?
- Botswana ranks 33rd out of 120 countries with data for 2015.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $8.30 a day rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. 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 Poverty: Share of population living on less than $8.30 a day. 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 $8.30 per day.