Botswana Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
Botswana's poverty rate was 21.40% in 2015, ranked 77th globally. This represents a 1.4% increase from 2014. Data from World Bank, covering 1985–2015.
Overview
Botswana's poverty rate stood at 21.40% in 2015, a rise of +0.30pp from 2009. Botswana ranked 77th globally.
Botswana’s poverty rate fell dramatically from an all‑time peak of 50.10 % in 1985 to a trough of 21.10 % in 2009, before registering 21.40 % in the latest World Bank estimate for 2015, placing the country 77th globally. The steep decline over roughly three decades reflects sustained macro‑economic growth, expansion of social safety‑net programmes and improvements in education and health services, which together lifted large segments of the population out of extreme deprivation. By contrast, Namibia, a regional peer, recorded a slightly higher poverty incidence of 22.90 % in the same period, underscoring Botswana’s relatively stronger performance in reducing poverty despite comparable structural challenges. Nonetheless, the modest rise from the 2009 trough to 2015 suggests that recent growth has not been sufficient to sustain the earlier gains, and future trajectories will hinge on diversifying the economy away from mineral dependence, enhancing rural development and maintaining fiscal discipline to keep poverty on a downward path.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 21.40% | +0.30pp | #77 |
| 2009 | 21.10% | −13.70pp | #72 |
| 2002 | 34.80% | −7.30pp | #55 |
| 1993 | 42.10% | −8.00pp | #26 |
| 1985 | 50.10% | – | #16 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Botswana matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Botswana's poverty rate was 21.40% in 2015. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 1.4% increase from the previous year.
Botswana's poverty rate peaked at 50.10% in 1985.
The lowest poverty rate in Botswana was 21.10% in 2009.
Botswana ranks 77th globally in poverty rate as of 2015.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of Botswana in 2015 was 21.40%. This ranks 77th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_botswana_poverty-rate,
title = {Botswana Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/botswana/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}