Botswana vs South Africa: Political Rights Rating
Botswana
2
in 2025
South Africa
2
in 2025
Botswana rank
115th
South Africa rank
115th
Political Rights Rating over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
Botswana currently reports 2 against 2 in South Africa, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was South Africa ahead.
Botswana ranks 115th and South Africa ranks 115th of 199 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.12 | 4.5 | 2.38 | South Africa |
| 1980s | 1.89 | 5.11 | 3.22 | South Africa |
| 1990s | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.7 | Botswana |
| 2010s | 3 | 2 | 1 | Botswana |
| 2020s | 2.67 | 2 | 0.6667 | Botswana |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher political rights rating, Botswana or South Africa?
- Botswana, at 2 against 2 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in political rights rating between Botswana and South Africa?
- 0, with Botswana ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and South Africa?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do Botswana and South Africa rank globally for political rights rating?
- Botswana ranks 115th and South Africa ranks 115th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Political Rights Rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, and a functioning government. Lower ratings indicate more rights.