Drinking water services in Botswana
Botswana: Drinking water services was 10,379 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Drinking water services in Botswana, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water services in Botswana stood at 10,379 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 12.3% on the previous year and down 60.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water services in Botswana peaked at 51,104 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10,379 people, in 2024.
That places Botswana 85th out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water services in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 51,104 people | — |
| 2001 | 49,582 people | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 48,289 people | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 46,960 people | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 45,601 people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 44,236 people | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 42,873 people | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 40,544 people | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 38,270 people | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 36,057 people | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 33,893 people | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 31,723 people | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 29,923 people | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 28,160 people | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 26,402 people | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 24,661 people | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 22,943 people | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 21,252 people | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 19,594 people | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 17,969 people | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 16,379 people | -8.8% |
| 2021 | 14,828 people | -9.5% |
| 2022 | 13,317 people | -10.2% |
| 2023 | 11,838 people | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 10,379 people | -12.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 10,379 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5,292 people, 2.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 10,379 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 511,332 people, 2% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44,352 people | 36,057 people | 51,104 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,652 people | 17,969 people | 33,893 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,348 people | 10,379 people | 16,379 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More environment data for Botswana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 6.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 6.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.381 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.443 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -4.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.3323 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water services in Botswana?
- Drinking water services in Botswana was 10,379 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water services recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 51,104 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest drinking water services recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,379 people in 2024.
- How does Botswana rank for drinking water services?
- Botswana ranks 85th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water services rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.