MigrantoImmigrants in Botswana
108.9K foreign-born residents — the #132 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 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
Africa is the leading region of origin at 82%
89.4K
12.5K
5.4K
1.2K
413
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Botswana.
Zimbabwe is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Zimbabwe accounts for 62% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 6%.
Immigration has become more concentrated over time
The top source's share rose from 22% to 62%, with Zimbabwe increasingly the primary origin.
Top source countries have shifted significantly since 1990
4 new countries have entered the top 20: Nigeria, Kenya, Eswatini — Nigeria rose from outside the top 20 to rank #8.
The share of immigrants from Africa has grown since 1990
The share of immigrants from Africa has shifted from 65.7% to 82.1% since 1990.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 25829 |
| 1995 | 35261 |
| 2000 | 48400 |
| 2005 | 77107 |
| 2010 | 88808 |
| 2015 | 96459 |
| 2020 | 103163 |
| 2024 | 108902 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Zimbabwe | South Africa | India | China | Zambia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Botswana as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Botswana
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Botswana?
Around 108.9K foreign-born residents live in Botswana, making it the #132-largest immigrant population in the world.
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 foreign-born residents.
What share 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.
How has immigration to Botswana changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Botswana has grown from 96.5K to 108.9K people, a growth of about 13%.
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