MigrantoImmigrants in Botswana
108.9K foreigners live in Botswana — 4% of the country's population
Immigrants in Botswana by country
The 3 largest groups make up 73% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 67878 |
| South Africa | 6052 |
| India | 5964 |
| China | 5043 |
| Zambia | 4661 |
| Malawi | 1560 |
| United Kingdom | 1388 |
| Nigeria | 1302 |
| Kenya | 1277 |
| DR Congo | 1192 |
| Namibia | 1043 |
| Sri Lanka | 1043 |
| USA | 971 |
| Tanzania | 859 |
| Angola | 822 |
| Netherlands | 672 |
| Ireland | 661 |
| Eswatini | 642 |
| Mozambique | 638 |
| Madagascar | 591 |
| Italy | 575 |
| Pakistan | 490 |
| Portugal | 490 |
| Sweden | 461 |
| Norway | 413 |
| Australia | 413 |
| Denmark | 363 |
| Germany | 355 |
| Uganda | 342 |
| Lesotho | 292 |
| Mauritius | 244 |
| Canada | 195 |
| Seychelles | 10 |
By region of origin
82% of immigrants come from Africa
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Key facts
Immigrants in Botswana in numbers
Zimbabweans are the largest group by a wide margin
62% of all immigrants were born in Zimbabwe, while the next group accounts for just 6%.
More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990
The largest group's share rose from 22% to 62%, and today that group is people born in Zimbabwe.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Nigeria, Kenya, Eswatini. Nigeria climbed from outside the top 20 to #8.
The share of immigrants from Africa has grown since 1990
65.7% of immigrants came from Africa in 1990, compared with 82.1% today.
Immigrant population in Botswana over time
Foreigners living in Botswana, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 25829 |
| 1995 | 35261 |
| 2000 | 48400 |
| 2005 | 77107 |
| 2010 | 88808 |
| 2015 | 96459 |
| 2020 | 103163 |
| 2024 | 108902 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Botswana, by year
| Year | Zimbabweans | South Africans | Indians | Chinese | Zambians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4905 | 5780 | 1967 | 874 | 1991 |
| 1995 | 7917 | 9329 | 2375 | 1055 | 3213 |
| 2000 | 11763 | 13860 | 3032 | 1348 | 4773 |
| 2005 | 33411 | 9376 | 3936 | 2720 | 7193 |
| 2010 | 55306 | 4933 | 4863 | 4111 | 3800 |
| 2015 | 60080 | 5359 | 5282 | 4466 | 4128 |
| 2020 | 64301 | 5733 | 5650 | 4777 | 4415 |
| 2024 | 67878 | 6052 | 5964 | 5043 | 4661 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Botswana
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Botswana
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Botswana?
Around 108.9K immigrants live in Botswana — the world's #132 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Botswana are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 4% of the population of Botswana — that's 108.9K out of a total population of 2.5M.
Where do most immigrants in Botswana come from?
Most immigrants in Botswana come from Zimbabwe, South Africa and India — these three countries account for about 73% of all immigrants.
How many Zimbabweans live in Botswana?
Around 67.9K Zimbabweans live in Botswana — about 62% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Botswana growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Botswana has grown from 96.5K to 108.9K, about 13%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Botswana come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Botswana. Their children born in Botswana are not included.
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Botswana
See the full country overview