Homicides in Botswana
Botswana: Homicides was 404.65 deaths in 2021. ▲ Rising
Homicides in Botswana, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in Botswana is 404.65 deaths, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Botswana peaked at 404.65 deaths in 2021 and was at its lowest, 218.68 deaths, in 2000.
Botswana ranks 91st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Homicides in Botswana, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 218.68 deaths | — |
| 2001 | 243.3 deaths | +11.3% |
| 2002 | 274.79 deaths | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 287.65 deaths | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 284.15 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 318.47 deaths | +12.1% |
| 2006 | 313.18 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 322.04 deaths | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 329.46 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 333.71 deaths | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 342.45 deaths | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 341.61 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 345.57 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 350.32 deaths | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 354.35 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 359.55 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 365.9 deaths | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 373.16 deaths | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 381.11 deaths | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 389.21 deaths | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 396.59 deaths | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 404.65 deaths | +2.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 404.65 deaths is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 237.51 deaths, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 404.65 deaths is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 971.62 deaths, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 292.54 deaths | 218.68 deaths | 333.71 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 360.32 deaths | 341.61 deaths | 389.21 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 400.62 deaths | 396.59 deaths | 404.65 deaths | 2 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More social development data for Botswana
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 847 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0003 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides in Botswana?
- Homicides in Botswana was 404.65 deaths in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 404.65 deaths in 2021.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 218.68 deaths in 2000.
- How does Botswana rank for homicides?
- Botswana ranks 91st out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths from interpersonal violence in both sexes.