Botswana (Republic of Botswana)

Botswana Republic of Botswana
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	112th best
Capital	Gaborone
Land Area	566 730km21
Location	Africa
Population	2.3m2
Life Expectancy	61.14yrs (2017)3
GNI	$16 198 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	BW, BWA, 725
Internet Domain	.bw6
Currency	Pula (BWP)7
Telephone	+2678

1. Overview
2. Botswana National and Social Development
3. Botswana's Demographics and Migration
4. Botswana's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Botswana's Health
6. Botswana's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Botswana's Modernity and Learning
8. Religion and Beliefs
9. Links

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1. Overview

#UK

“Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Blessed with some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth, Botswana is one of the great safari destinations in Africa. There are more elephants in Botswana than any other country on earth, the big cats roam free and there´s everything from endangered African wild dogs to aquatic antelopes, and from rhinos making a comeback to abundant birdlife at every turn. This is also the land of the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert, at once iconic African landscapes and vast stretches of wilderness. Put these landscapes together with the wildlife that inhabits them, and it´s difficult to escape the conclusion that this is wild Africa at its best. Botswana may rank among Africa´s most exclusive destinations - accommodation prices at most lodges are once-in-a-lifetime propositions - but self-drive expeditions are also possible. And whichever way you visit, Botswana is a truly extraordinary place.The ancestors of the San left behind extraordinary records in the form of rock paintings dotted throughout the region. The Tsodilo Hills showcase the pictorial record of this prehistoric culture.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Botswana National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
114	Indonesia	0.705
115	Vietnam	0.703
116	Philippines	0.699
117	Botswana	0.693
118=	Bolivia	0.692
118=	Kyrgyzstan	0.692
120	Venezuela	0.691
121	Iraq	0.686
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
72	China	$17 504
73	Thailand	$17 030
74	Antigua & Barbuda	$16 792
75	Botswana	$16 198
76	Macedonia	$15 918
77	Maldives	$15 448
78	Libya	$15 336
79	Bosnia & Herzegovina	$15 242
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
109	Guatemala	93.7
110	Palau	93.7
111	Kyrgyzstan	94.3
112	Botswana	94.5
113	Azerbaijan	95.0
114	Lebanon	95.0
115	Paraguay	95.5
116	Suriname	95.9
	Africa Avg	119.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

Progress is always going to be difficult in a country where the richest 10% hold 42% of the country's entire income₁₃.

3. Botswana's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Botswana's population is predicted to rise to 2.344 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.75. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
140	Qatar	2.8m
141	Namibia	2.4m
142	Gambia	2.3m
143	Botswana	2.3m
144	Gabon	2.1m
145	Lesotho	2.1m
146	Macedonia	2.1m
147	Slovenia	2.1m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
171	Niger	61.6
172	Kenya	61.4
173	Zambia	61.2
174	Botswana	61.1
175	Liberia	60.7
176	Equatorial Guinea	60.6
177	Cameroon	60.3
178	Sierra Leone	60.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
133	Italy	1.24
134	Haiti	2.77
135	Mongolia	2.77
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
47	Solomon Islands	07.0
48=	Rwanda	07.0
49	Namibia	07.4
50=	Botswana	07.7
50=	UAE	07.7
52	Oman	07.8
53	Jordan	08.0
54	Laos	08.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
67	Costa Rica	8.4%
68	Russia	8.1%
69	Congo, (Brazzaville)	7.6%
70	Botswana	7.3%
71	St Lucia	7.2%
72	S. Africa	7.1%
73	S. Sudan	6.7%
74	Grenada	6.6%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
137	Ghana	3.4%
138	Nepal	3.3%
139	Bangladesh	3.3%
140	Botswana	3.2%
141	Spain	3.0%
142	Central African Rep.	2.9%
143	Angola	2.8%
144	France	2.8%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Botswana's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #botswana #equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women

Compared to Africa (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Mauritius	63.7
2	S. Africa	64.3
3	Cape Verde	68.0
4	Seychelles	73.8
5	Namibia	77.7
6	Senegal	84.7
7	Botswana	86.8
8	Ghana	92.3
9	Tunisia	95.2
10	Lesotho	100.4
11	Sao Tome & Principe	101.2
12	Burkina Faso	101.3
13	Mali	101.6
	Africa Avg	110.04
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
95	Singapore	83.1
96	Senegal	84.7
97	Grenada	86.1
98	Botswana	86.8
99	Antigua & Barbuda	87.1
100	Fiji	87.1
101	Turkey	87.4
102	Venezuela	88.1
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₂₀. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan₂₀.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₀, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia₂₀.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Press Freedom Higher is better21
Pos.		202521
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
77	Papua New Guinea	58.35
78	Qatar	58.25
79	Albania	58.18
80	Botswana	57.64
81	Zambia	57.33
82	Niger	57.05
83	Paraguay	56.84
84	Thailand	56.72
	Africa Avg	52.30
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Slavery Lower is better22
Pos.		2018 % Victims22
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
66	Namibia	0.33
67=	Serbia	0.33
68	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.34
69=	Botswana	0.34
69=	Honduras	0.34
69=	Poland	0.34
69=	Singapore	0.34
73	Estonia	0.36
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better23
Pos.		2014 Rank23
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
90=	Bahrain	88
91	Jordan	91
92	Cape Verde	92
93	Botswana	93
94=	Liberia	94
94=	Lesotho	94
96	Kazakhstan	96
97	Ecuador	97
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
67	Panama	2.0
68=	Tonga	2.0
68=	Samoa	2.0
68=	Botswana	2.0
68=	Romania	2.0
68=	Trinidad & Tobago	2.0
68=	Monaco	2.0
68=	Poland	2.0
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better24
Pos.		2009 Treaties24
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
116	Jordan	14
117=	China	14
117=	Mauritius	14
117=	Botswana	14
117=	Madagascar	14
117=	Syria	14
117=	Sudan	14
117=	Cameroon	14
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better25
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty25
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
133	Congo, (Brazzaville)	11.91
134	Moldova	11.99
135	Kyrgyzstan	12.04
136	Botswana	12.05
137	Estonia	12.06
138	Gambia	12.12
139	Ivory Coast	12.14
140	Trinidad & Tobago	12.26
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Botswana stated:

“A presidential commission recommended constitutional amendments to improve the protection of certain rights, while undermining others. Migrants and asylum seekers including children were subjected to arbitrary detention. Murders attributed to gender-based violence constituted a large proportion of all murders between January and March. There was a documented rise in the number of people going missing. Indigenous peoples’ rights were violated. Botswana continued to use the death penalty.”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₆

Gender Equality:

Botswana is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree
• "Christianity and Women: Biblical Misogyny and Male Dominance" by Vexen Crabtree

Gender Inequality Lower is better27
Pos.		202227
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
116	Myanmar (Burma)	0.48
117	Guatemala	0.48
118	Mozambique	0.48
119	Botswana	0.49
120	Iran	0.49
121	Cambodia	0.49
122	Syria	0.49
123=	Ethiopia	0.50
	Africa Avg	0.53
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
147=	Libya	1964
147=	Papua New Guinea	1964
149	Lesotho	1965
150=	Botswana	1965
151	Tuvalu	1967
152=	Kiribati	1967
152=	Ecuador	1967
154	Swaziland	1968
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

Anti-Semite Opinions Lower is better28
Pos.		2014 %28
1	Laos	0
2	Philippines	3
3	Sweden	4
	...
53=	Costa Rica	32
54	Uruguay	33
55=	Croatia	33
55=	Botswana	33
57	Nicaragua	34
58=	Romania	35
58=	Cameroon	35
58=	Paraguay	35
	Africa Avg	45.9
	World Avg	36.8
q=101.

LGBT Equality Higher is better29
Pos.		2017 Score29
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
167=	Lebanon	-24
167=	Zimbabwe	-24
169	St Kitts & Nevis	-25
170=	Botswana	-25
170=	Ghana	-25
172	Pakistan	-26
173	Egypt	-27
174=	Iraq	-29
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better30
Pos.		202130
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
34	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.3
35=	Marshall Islands	2.3
35=	Japan	2.3
35=	Botswana	2.3
35=	Benin	2.3
35=	Cape Verde	2.3
35=	Kiribati	2.3
35=	Antigua & Barbuda	2.3
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Botswana's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #botswana #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Africa (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1	Tunisia	69.2
2	Mauritius	69.2
3	Seychelles	84.8
	...
8	S. Africa	115.9
9	Egypt	117.0
10	Djibouti	122.6
11	Botswana	129.6
12	Eritrea	130.2
13	Lesotho	131.8
14	Rwanda	134.4
15	Sao Tome & Principe	134.9
16	Ghana	135.9
	Africa Avg	111.13
q=54.

Health (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
158	Vanuatu	125.3
159	Solomon Islands	125.5
160	Pakistan	127.9
161	Botswana	129.6
162	Eritrea	130.2
163	Haiti	130.5
164	Lesotho	131.8
165	Nauru	133.3
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₂.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₂, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₂.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Botswana is a pretty unhealthy country. Botswana does better than average when it comes to its immunizations take-up₃₃ and in its smoking rate₃₄ (but high for Africa). However Botswana performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average for its adolescent birth rate₃₅ (still low for Africa), its alcohol consumption rate₃₆, its fertility rate₁₅ (still good for Africa) and in its average life expectancy₁₁. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₇. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Botswana improved by +4.9yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Botswana's peak fertility rate was 6.69 in 1966.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
171	Niger	61.6
172	Kenya	61.4
173	Zambia	61.2
174	Botswana	61.1
175	Liberia	60.7
176	Equatorial Guinea	60.6
177	Cameroon	60.3
178	Sierra Leone	60.1
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36
Pos.		2016 Per Capita36
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
124=	Dominica	8.2
125	Thailand	8.3
126=	Ivory Coast	8.4
126=	Botswana	8.4
126=	Trinidad & Tobago	8.4
126=	Vietnam	8.4
130	Ukraine	8.6
131	Netherlands	8.7
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
133	Italy	1.24
134	Haiti	2.77
135	Mongolia	2.77
	Africa Avg	3.97
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better34
Pos.		201434
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
72	Swaziland	427
73	Sudan	428
74	Costa Rica	432
75	Botswana	449
76	Syria	459
77	Djibouti	476
78	Ivory Coast	477
79	Nicaragua	488
	Africa Avg	340
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
142	Mali	142
143	Niger	143
144	Marshall Islands	144
145	Botswana	145
146	Samoa	146
147	Jamaica	147
148	Togo	148
149	Tonga	149
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better38
Pos.		2016 %38
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
67	Namibia	40.6
68	Brunei	41.2
69	Malaysia	42.5
70	Botswana	43.4
71	Tajikistan	45.3
72	Trinidad & Tobago	46.0
73	Antigua & Barbuda	48.0
74	St Lucia	48.1
	Africa Avg	33.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better35
Pos.		2022 Per 100035
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
118	Cambodia	45.7
119	St Vincent & Grenadines	46.5
120	Philippines	48.1
121	Botswana	48.3
122	Cuba	48.9
123	Haiti	51.8
124	Seychelles	52.1
125	Yemen	52.5
	Africa Avg	84.6
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better33
Pos.		2015 Avg %33
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
59	Bhutan	95.6
60	Turkey	95.5
61	Malta	95.5
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
64	Cyprus	95.3
65	Switzerland	95.3
66	Israel	95.2
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Botswana's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #botswana #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Africa (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Morocco	46.5
2	Burundi	47.8
3	Mali	51.0
	...
26	Cape Verde	75.6
27	Malawi	76.0
28	Benin	76.5
29	Botswana	76.8
30	Congo, (Brazzaville)	77.6
31	Egypt	78.0
32	Algeria	79.7
33	Sierra Leone	83.6
34	Guinea-Bissau	83.7
	Africa Avg	80.07
q=53.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
79	Malawi	76.0
80	Benin	76.5
81	Australia	76.6
82	Botswana	76.8
83	Syria	77.4
84	Congo, (Brazzaville)	77.6
85	Latvia	77.7
86	Egypt	78.0
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Botswana is positioned 82nd in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 6 data sets. Botswana does better than average in terms of energy to GDP efficiency₄₀, reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₁ (but high for Africa) and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. Botswana doesn't do so well in other areas. Botswana does worse than average in terms of its environmental performance₄₂ (still high for Africa) and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₃. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₄ (one of the lowest in Africa).

Environmental Performance Higher is better42
Pos.		201842
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
110	Guatemala	52.3
111	Maldives	52.1
112	Moldova	52.0
113	Botswana	51.7
114	Honduras	51.5
115	Sudan	51.5
116	Oman	51.3
117	Zambia	51.0
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better40
Pos.		2022 Avg40
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
31	Dominican Rep.	0.63
32	Haiti	0.63
33	Denmark	0.65
34	Botswana	0.67
35	Hong Kong	0.67
36	Puerto Rico	0.68
37	Angola	0.70
38	Indonesia	0.71
	Africa Avg	0.83
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
63	Madagascar	65%
64	China	64%
65	Malaysia	64%
66	Botswana	64%
67	El Salvador	64%
68	Iran	64%
69	Argentina	64%
70	Nicaragua	64%
	Africa Avg	56.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better44
Pos.		2011 %44
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
126	Malawi	22.0%
127	UAE	20.8%
128	Norway	20.5%
129	Botswana	20.4%
130	USA	19.7%
131	Kuwait	19.6%
132	Zimbabwe	19.6%
133	Latvia	19.5%
	Africa Avg	38.3%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better41
Pos.		2021 kg41
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
53	Maldives	28.8
54	Egypt	29.1
55	Laos	29.8
56	Botswana	30.1
57	Nicaragua	31.5
58	Iran	31.6
59	Morocco	32.1
60	Tajikistan	32.4
	Africa Avg	24.9
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Botswana's Modernity and Learning

#botswana #capitalism #corruption #economics #education #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #intelligence #life_expectancy #modernity #namibia #peace #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #social_development #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2020)45
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank45
1	S. Africa	56.9
2	Tunisia	70.8
3=	Mauritius	79.6
4	Seychelles	80.1
5	Egypt	80.5
6	Libya	82.0
7	Kenya	96.4
8	Botswana	96.5
9	Morocco	97.9
10	Algeria	100.2
11	Gabon	108.2
12	Uganda	109.8
13	Ghana	110.3
	Africa Avg	120.19
q=53.

Modernity & Learning (2020)45
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank45
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
111	Indonesia	93.3
112	Jamaica	94.6
113	Kenya	96.4
114	Botswana	96.5
115	Morocco	97.9
116	Samoa	99.8
117	Algeria	100.2
118	Tajikistan	101.3
	World Avg	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₄₆. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₄₆. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₇.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₄₈

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₆, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₆.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

In the 2000s, the expected duration of education in Botswana fell slightly; it was one of only 12 countries to do so in that decade. ₄₉

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2950
2	Israel	4.1150
3	Japan	3.5850
	...
80=	Kuwait	0.3051
81	Pakistan	0.2951
82	Zambia	0.2852
83	Botswana	0.2553
84	Armenia	0.2451
85=	Sudan	0.2354
85=	Uruguay	0.2353
85=	Mongolia	0.2351
	Africa Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better55
Pos.		201855
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
38	Montenegro	91.6%
39	Australia	90.4%
40	Romania	90.0%
41	Botswana	90.0%
42	Serbia	89.5%
43	Denmark	89.3%
44	Israel	89.1%
45	Sweden	88.9%
	Africa Avg	34.4%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better56
Pos.		2021 Years56
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
130	Samoa	12.4
131	Congo, (Brazzaville)	12.3
132	San Marino	12.3
133	Botswana	12.3
134	Angola	12.2
135	Zimbabwe	12.1
136	Iraq	12.1
137	Ghana	12.0
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
130	Bangladesh	130
131	Mongolia	131
132	Haiti	132
133	Botswana	133
134	Suriname	134
135	Uruguay	135
136	Honduras	136
137	Papua New Guinea	137
	Africa Avg	106.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity Lower is better57
Pos.		2018 %57
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
57	Venezuela	67
58	Turkey	68
59=	Bolivia	71
59=	Botswana	71
61	Brazil	72
62=	Egypt	72
63	Algeria	73
64=	Peru	73
	Africa Avg	87.0
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better58
Pos.		200658
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
111=	Ghana	71
112	Namibia	70
113=	Togo	70
113=	Botswana	70
113=	Rwanda	70
113=	Benin	70
117	Ivory Coast	69
118=	Malawi	69
	Africa Avg	70.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better59
Pos.		201659
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
143	Angola	23%
144	Ivory Coast	22%
145	Honduras	22%
146	Botswana	21%
147	Libya	21%
148	Zimbabwe	21%
149	Equatorial Guinea	21%
150	Lesotho	21%
	Africa Avg	18.4%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better60
Pos.		2017 Ratio60
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
86=	Chile	0.0
86=	US Virgin Islands	0.0
86=	Mauritius	0.0
89	Botswana	0.0
90=	El Salvador	0.0
90=	Kenya	0.0
90=	Cameroon	0.0
90=	Kyrgyzstan	0.0
	Africa Avg	0.04
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better61
Pos.		202461
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
95	Pakistan	33.5%
96	Algeria	33.2%
97	Bolivia	33.1%
98	Botswana	33.1%
99	Benin	32.8%
100	Nigeria	32.7%
101	Iran	32.5%
102	Namibia	32.1%
	Africa Avg	32.3%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

National Culture:

Botswana has an adequate long-term record on corruption.

Corruption Higher is better62
Pos.		2022 Points62
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
35	Cape Verde	60.0
36=	Spain	60.0
36=	St Vincent & Grenadines	60.0
36=	Botswana	60.0
39	Latvia	59.0
40	Qatar	58.0
41=	Czechia	56.0
41=	Georgia	56.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better63
Pos.		2024 Score63
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
139	Comoros	3.8
140	Yemen	3.6
141	Congo, DR	3.5
142	Botswana	3.4
143	Zimbabwe	3.4
144	Malawi	3.3
145	Lebanon	3.2
146	Sierra Leone	3.0
	Africa Avg	4.42
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
69	Bosnia & Herzegovina	69
70	Tonga	70
71	Trinidad & Tobago	71
72	Botswana	72
73	Dominica	73
74	Antigua & Barbuda	74
75	Turkey	75
76	Kyrgyzstan	76
	Africa Avg	117.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
87	Uganda	87
88	Vietnam	88
89	Central African Rep.	89
90	Botswana	90
91	Guinea-Bissau	91
92	Burundi	92
93	Mozambique	93
94	Guinea	94
	Africa Avg	96.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better64
Pos.		2023 Score64
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
39	Costa Rica	1.73
40=	Vietnam	1.75
40=	Albania	1.75
42	Botswana	1.76
43	S. Korea	1.76
44	Mongolia	1.77
45	Montenegro	1.77
46	Laos	1.78
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
109	Belgium	109
110	Panama	110
111	Equatorial Guinea	111
112	Botswana	112
113	Slovakia	113
114	Suriname	114
115	Greece	115
116	Trinidad & Tobago	116
	Africa Avg	83.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
72	Estonia	72
73	Guinea-Bissau	73
74	Albania	74
75	Botswana	75
76	Lebanon	76
77	Bahrain	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Algeria	79
	Africa Avg	104.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better65
Pos.		201965
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
126	Cambodia	18.10
127	Guyana	19.00
128	S. Africa	19.20
129	Botswana	19.40
130	Rwanda	19.50
131	India	19.70
132	Madagascar	21.10
133	Senegal	21.20
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better66
Pos.		2023 %66
1	Slovakia	24.1%67
2	Slovenia	24.3%67
3	Belarus	24.4%68
	...
159	Angola	51.3%69
160	Zambia	51.5%70
161	Brazil	52.0%70
162	Botswana	53.3%71
163	Swaziland	54.6%72
164	Colombia	54.8%70
165	Belize	57.7%73
166	Namibia	59.1%71
	Africa Avg	40.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Botswana - only for 5 years between 1980 and 2019. But it always scores poorly compared to the rest of the world; in the 1990s it was the 4th-most-unequal country of 117 measured, and in the 2000s it was the most unequal country in the world (its neighbour Namibia was 2nd-worst).

8. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #humanism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #secularisation #theism

Religiosity (2018)57
Pos.		Lower is better %57
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
57	Venezuela	67
58	Turkey	68
59=	Bolivia	71
59=	Botswana	71
61	Brazil	72
62=	Egypt	72
63	Algeria	73
64=	Peru	73
65	S. Africa	75
66=	Ecuador	76
66=	Costa Rica	76
68	Puerto Rico	77
69=	Malaysia	77
69=	Colombia	77
71	Dominican Rep.	78
72=	Iran	78
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)74
Pos.		Higher is better %74
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
89=	Burundi	0
89=	Burkina Faso	0
89=	Brunei	0
89=	Botswana	0
89=	Syria	0
89=	Sierra Leone	0
89=	Thailand	0
89=	Togo	0
89=	Benin	0
89=	Tunisia	0
89=	Uganda	0
89=	Bangladesh	0
89=	UAE	0
89=	Azerbaijan	0
89=	Algeria	0
89=	Yemen	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₇₅:

Christian	72.1%
Muslim	0.4%
Hindu	0.3%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	6%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	20.6%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)₇₆.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₇₇, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Botswana states:

“The constitution and other laws mandate a secular state and protect freedom of religion or belief. However, there are widespread state privileges for Christianity and routine bias against the nonreligious. Government meetings often begin with a Christian prayer₇₈. Even though the constitution prohibits forced religious instruction, forced participation in religious ceremonies, or taking oaths that run counter to an individual's religious beliefs, religious education is part of the curriculum in public schools. This public education emphasizes Christianity₇₈ but also addresses other religious groups in the country, while excluding humanists and other non-theists. Additionally, the constitution provides that every religious community may establish places for religious instruction at the community's expense.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₇₉

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?