People not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana
Botswana: People not using safely managed drinking water sources was 925,484 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using safely managed drinking water sources 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
The most recent figure for people not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana is 925,484 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana peaked at 925,484 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 611,024 people, in 2011.
That places Botswana 72nd out of 163 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 684,422 people | — |
| 2001 | 691,702 people | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 700,888 people | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 709,793 people | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 718,766 people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 728,185 people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 718,114 people | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 697,417 people | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 676,543 people | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 655,466 people | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 634,002 people | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 611,024 people | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 623,160 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 644,871 people | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 666,810 people | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 689,148 people | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 712,015 people | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 735,490 people | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 759,617 people | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 784,444 people | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 810,097 people | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 836,903 people | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 865,295 people | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 894,977 people | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 925,484 people | +3.4% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 925,484 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.88 million people, 49% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 925,484 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.93 million people, 7% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 698,130 people | 655,466 people | 728,185 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 686,058 people | 611,024 people | 784,444 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 866,551 people | 810,097 people | 925,484 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 people not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana?
- People not using safely managed drinking water sources in Botswana was 925,484 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 people not using safely managed drinking water sources recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 925,484 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed drinking water sources recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 611,024 people in 2011.
- How does Botswana rank for people not using safely managed drinking water sources?
- Botswana ranks 72nd out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed drinking water sources rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 People not using safely managed drinking water sources. 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
People not using safely managed drinking water sources either use unimproved drinking water sources or the improved sources they use are not located on their premises, not available when needed, or not free of contamination.