Updated
Overview
Namibia has 21% more people than Botswana: 3.09 million against 2.56 million (2025).
Botswana's economy is 32% larger than Namibia's, at $19.93B versus $15.08B.
Per person, Botswana is the wealthier of the two: $7,778 against $4,876 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Namibia | Botswana | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $15.08B | Higher: $19.93B | 2025 | $13.37B / $19.40B |
| GDP per capita | $4,876 | Higher: $7,778 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.7% | -0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.5% | Lower: 2.7% | 2025 | 4.2% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 19.3% | 24.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 38 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | — | $483 | — / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $139 | — / 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 3.09 million | 2.56 million | 2025 | 2.85 million / 2.52 million |
| Population growth | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 21.3 yrs | 23.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 3.17 | 2.66 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 67.5 yrs | Higher: 69.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 51% | 68% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 65% | 57% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 825,615 km² | 582,000 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 3.7/km² | 4.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 3.47 Mt | 7.46 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 1.1 t | 3.0 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $362.39M | $567.82M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 16,000 | 9,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Namibia grew while the other economy contracted: 1.7% against -0.7%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.5% in Namibia and 2.7% in Botswana.
People and society
Namibia is the younger society: median age 21.3 versus 23.4 years.
Life expectancy is 1.8 years longer in Botswana (69.3 vs 67.5).
Botswana is considerably more urbanized: 68% of people live in cities, against 51%.
Geography
By land area, Namibia is 42% larger than Botswana: 825,615 km² versus 582,000 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Botswana spends about 55% more on defence than Namibia: $567.82M versus $362.39M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Namibia fields the larger armed forces: 16,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Namibia bigger than Botswana?
- Namibia is larger by land area. Namibia covers 825,615 km² while Botswana covers 582,000 km², so Namibia is 42% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Namibia or Botswana?
- Namibia has the larger population: 3.09 million versus 2.56 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Namibia richer than Botswana?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Botswana is richer: $7,778 against $4,876. Total GDP tells the same story: $15.08B for Namibia versus $19.93B for Botswana.
- Who spends more on their military, Namibia or Botswana?
- Botswana spends more: $567.82M versus $362.39M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).