Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana
Botswana: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2015. ▼ Falling
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana, 1985–2015
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2015, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana stood at 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices.
That represents a change of down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana peaked at 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1985 and was at its lowest, 153.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2009.
That places Botswana 51st out of 120 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1993 | 277.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 259.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 153.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -40.7% |
| 2015 | 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.2% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 4.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.29 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 5% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 1990s | 277.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 277.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 277.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 206.37 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 153.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 259.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 2010s | 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 48 Ecuador 198.96 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 49 Australia 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 50 Gambia 161.53 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 52 Tajikistan 131.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 53 Laos 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 54 Mauritania 123.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices 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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Botswana was 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2015, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 284.09 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1985.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 153.66 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2009.
- How does Botswana rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Botswana ranks 51st out of 120 countries with data for 2015.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.