Number of people using the Internet in Botswana
Botswana: Number of people using the Internet was 1.45 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in Botswana, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 1.45 million people for number of people using the internet in 2024. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 81.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in Botswana peaked at 1.45 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
Botswana ranks 142nd of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in Botswana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 people | — |
| 1995 | 966.75 people | — |
| 1996 | 2,411 people | +149.4% |
| 1997 | 4,841 people | +100.7% |
| 1998 | 9,674 people | +99.8% |
| 1999 | 18,390 people | +90.1% |
| 2000 | 48,689 people | +164.8% |
| 2001 | 58,746 people | +20.7% |
| 2002 | 59,076 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 59,402 people | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 59,724 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 60,028 people | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 80,416 people | +34.0% |
| 2007 | 100,911 people | +25.5% |
| 2008 | 121,873 people | +20.8% |
| 2009 | 122,426 people | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 121,987 people | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 186,618 people | +53.0% |
| 2012 | 337,379 people | +80.8% |
| 2013 | 642,205 people | +90.4% |
| 2014 | 798,112 people | +24.3% |
| 2015 | 856,937 people | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 920,026 people | +7.4% |
| 2017 | 987,767 people | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 1.06 million people | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 1.14 million people | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 1.22 million people | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 1.31 million people | +7.4% |
| 2022 | 1.41 million people | +7.5% |
| 2024 | 1.45 million people | +2.5% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 1.45 million people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.93 million people, 29% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 1.45 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.88 million people, 37% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +164.8% | 18,390 people | 48,689 people |
| 1996 | +149.4% | 966.75 people | 2,411 people |
| 1997 | +100.7% | 2,411 people | 4,841 people |
| 1998 | +99.8% | 4,841 people | 9,674 people |
| 1999 | +90.1% | 9,674 people | 18,390 people |
| 2013 | +90.4% | 337,379 people | 642,205 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5,183 people | 0 people | 18,390 people | 7 |
| 2000s | 77,129 people | 48,689 people | 122,426 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 705,010 people | 121,987 people | 1.14 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.35 million people | 1.22 million people | 1.45 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More science & technology data for Botswana
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 164 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.64 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 7.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -8.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -6.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 383.84 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in Botswana?
- Number of people using the internet in Botswana was 1.45 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 1.45 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does Botswana rank for number of people using the internet?
- Botswana ranks 142nd out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 81.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.