Share of the population using the Internet in Botswana
Botswana: Share of the population using the Internet was 57.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Botswana, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 57.5% for share of the population using the internet in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 56.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Botswana peaked at 57.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Botswana ranks 153rd 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.
Share of the population using the Internet in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.1% | — |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +143.4% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +96.2% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +95.5% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | +86.0% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +159.2% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | +18.2% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 3.3% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | +31.5% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +23.1% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +18.4% |
| 2009 | 6.2% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 9.0% | +50.0% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | +77.8% |
| 2013 | 30.0% | +87.5% |
| 2014 | 36.7% | +22.5% |
| 2015 | 38.9% | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 43.6% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 46.1% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 48.8% | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 51.7% | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 54.7% | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 57.9% | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 57.5% | -0.8% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 57.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 81.5%, 70% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 57.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population 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 | +159.2% | 1.1% | 2.9% |
| 1996 | +143.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1997 | +96.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 1998 | +95.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| 2013 | +87.5% | 16.0% | 30.0% |
| 1999 | +86.0% | 0.6% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 2.9% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.6% | 6.0% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.4% | 51.7% | 57.9% | 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 share of the population using the internet in Botswana?
- Share of the population using the internet in Botswana was 57.5% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 57.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Botswana rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Botswana ranks 153rd out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.4%. 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) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.