Botswana Rate of Natural Increase

Botswana’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between its crude birth rate and crude death rate—has gradually declined over recent decades due to falling fertility rates and improvements in healthcare. As of the early 2020s, Botswana’s RNI is approximately 1.7% per year, reflecting moderate population growth. This rate is lower than that of some neighboring countries like Zambia (around 2.7%) and Namibia (about 2.0%), where higher fertility rates persist. However, it is somewhat higher than South Africa’s RNI, which is closer to 1.2%, due to South Africa’s lower birth rates and a more advanced demographic transition. Botswana’s RNI also reflects the country’s success in reducing mortality, particularly from HIV/AIDS, which had previously suppressed population growth. Overall, Botswana’s RNI situates it between the more rapidly growing populations of countries to its north and the slower-growing, more urbanized population of South Africa.

Data from US Census International Database