AGUACYCLE
Sub-Saharan Africa

Botswana

Capital: Gaborone · Upper middle income · Pop. 2.5 million

63.29%
Safely managed drinking water
Safely managed sanitation
984
m³ freshwater / person / yr
9%
Water stress · Low

Source: World Bank Open Data (WHO/UNICEF JMP & FAO AQUASTAT) · drinking water 2024

In Botswana, 63.29% of the population uses safely managed drinking water — an improved source, located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination (2024 estimate). That leaves roughly 925,510 people without safely managed drinking water at home.

Botswana has about 984 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater per person each year — below the ~1,000 m³ threshold widely used to define water scarcity. It withdraws the equivalent of 9% of those internal resources annually (low water stress).

Agriculture accounts for about 28% of Botswana's water withdrawals, the rest going to households and industry.

Common questions

How many people in Botswana have safe drinking water?

63.29% of Botswana's population uses safely managed drinking water (2024), per WHO/UNICEF data; about 925,510 people do not.

Does Botswana have enough freshwater?

Botswana has roughly 984 m³ of renewable internal freshwater per person per year, and uses about 9% of it annually (low stress).

Elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa