MigrantoBotswanan Diaspora
16.7K Batswana live abroad — the #184 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 82% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 8004 |
| Zimbabwe | 3985 |
| Australia | 1736 |
| Zambia | 1498 |
| Namibia | 731 |
| Lesotho | 247 |
| Tanzania | 136 |
| Norway | 131 |
| Denmark | 79 |
| Guinea | 44 |
| Eswatini | 39 |
| Bulgaria | 36 |
| Finland | 22 |
| Hungary | 14 |
| Bahamas | 14 |
| Cyprus | 6 |
| Greece | 5 |
| Slovakia | 2 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Luxembourg | 1 |
| Latvia | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 88%
14.7K
1.7K
291
14
6
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Botswana.
South Africa is the primary destination for emigrants
South Africa attracts 48% of all emigrants from Botswana, while the second-largest destination receives just 24%.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 79% to 48%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
The share of emigrants going to Africa has declined since 1990
The share of emigrants going to Africa has shifted from 99.2% to 87.8% since 1990.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 23982 |
| 1995 | 17487 |
| 2000 | 22155 |
| 2005 | 22158 |
| 2010 | 19869 |
| 2015 | 18161 |
| 2020 | 17397 |
| 2024 | 16731 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | South Africa | Zimbabwe | Australia | Zambia | Namibia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19046 | 2945 | 115 | 469 | 975 |
| 1995 | 12829 | 2924 | 185 | 228 | 932 |
| 2000 | 16026 | 4012 | 670 | 111 | 865 |
| 2005 | 15535 | 4134 | 973 | 319 | 683 |
| 2010 | 12922 | 3705 | 1120 | 918 | 658 |
| 2015 | 11016 | 3725 | 1327 | 808 | 644 |
| 2020 | 9435 | 3865 | 1599 | 1130 | 689 |
| 2024 | 8004 | 3985 | 1736 | 1498 | 731 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Botswana as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Botswana
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Batswana move to?
Most Batswana have moved to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia — these three countries account for about 82% of all Batswana living abroad.
How many Batswana live abroad?
Around 16.7K Batswana live abroad, making it the #184-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Botswana lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Botswana lives abroad — that's 16.7K out of a total population of 2.5M.
How has emigration from Botswana changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Botswana has fallen from 18.2K to 16.7K people, a decline of about 8%.
Where to live?
Match a country to your priorities
Explore other countries
See where people move around the world