People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana
Botswana: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 47,985 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana is 47,985 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana peaked at 64,903 people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 47,985 people, in 2024.
That places Botswana 95th out of 178 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.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 64,308 people | — |
| 2001 | 64,129 people | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 64,288 people | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 64,430 people | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 64,560 people | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 64,713 people | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 64,903 people | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 63,514 people | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 62,133 people | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 60,766 people | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 59,394 people | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 57,916 people | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 57,110 people | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 56,344 people | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 55,538 people | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 54,712 people | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 53,877 people | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 53,040 people | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 52,218 people | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 51,414 people | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 50,635 people | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 49,901 people | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 49,230 people | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 48,600 people | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 47,985 people | -1.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 47,985 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40,286 people, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 47,985 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 2% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63,774 people | 60,766 people | 64,903 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 55,156 people | 51,414 people | 59,394 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 49,270 people | 47,985 people | 50,635 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Botswana was 47,985 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 64,903 people in 2006.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 47,985 people in 2024.
- How does Botswana rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Botswana ranks 95th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. 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 People in rural areas not using an improved water source. 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 not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.