Botswana is a country in Africa, in Southern Africa, with about 2.56 million people (2025) and an area of 581,730 square kilometres. Its capital is Gaborone, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of BotswanaBotswana in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Botswana's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
A desert country with a delta at its heart
Botswana is landlocked in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zimbabwe to the northeast, and Zambia at a single point where four borders nearly meet. The Kalahari Desert covers roughly 70 percent of the territory, though it is semi-arid shrubland rather than pure sand dunes. In the northwest the Okavango River spills into an inland delta that never reaches the sea, one of the largest freshwater wetlands on Earth in a dry landscape.
More on Okavango River
Rising in the Angolan highlands, the Okavango flows southeast into Botswana where it fans out into a 15,000-square-kilometer delta. Seasonal floods transform the arid Kalahari fringe into a lush wetland that supports extraordinary concentrations of wildlife.
4 more lenses on Botswana in the app
STORY The African exception that actually delivered
NOW Diamonds built this country and now they test its future
STORY A delta that defines conservation ambition
THREAD Botswana as southern Africa's quiet anchor
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Botswana?
The capital of Botswana is Gaborone. Gaborone lies at about 24.6 degrees south and 25.9 degrees east. Botswana is in Africa, in the region often called Southern Africa. It is home to about 2.56 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Botswana?
About 2.56 million people live in Botswana, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 141st most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 581,730 square kilometres, that is about 4.4 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Botswana?
Botswana shares land borders with 4 countries: Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The map on this page outlines each of them around Botswana. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Botswana?
Botswana covers 581,730 square kilometres, or about 224,607 square miles. That makes it the 49th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 2.56 million gives a density of 4.4 people per square kilometre.
Botswana is a country in Africa, in Southern Africa, with about 2.56 million people (2025) and an area of 581,730 square kilometres. Its capital is Gaborone, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
Capital
Gaborone
Continent
Africa
Region
Southern Africa
Population
2,562,122 2025, World Bank. 141st of 195.
Area
581,730 km² (224,607 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 49th largest of 195.
Population density
4.4 people per km²
Land neighbours
4: Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Official name
Republic of Botswana
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
A desert country with a delta at its heart
Botswana is landlocked in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zimbabwe to the northeast, and Zambia at a single point where four borders nearly meet. The Kalahari Desert covers roughly 70 percent of the territory, though it is semi-arid shrubland rather than pure sand dunes. In the northwest the Okavango River spills into an inland delta that never reaches the sea, one of the largest freshwater wetlands on Earth in a dry landscape.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/botswana/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Botswana
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Colour Botswana on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
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Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
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One question I still have
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/botswana/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
