List of largest cities, towns and districts in Botswana

The largest cities, towns and districts in Botswana according to population size are:

RankNameCity, Town or DistrictPopulation 2022
1GaboroneGaborone246,325
2FrancistownFrancistown103,417
3MogoditshaneKweneng District88,004
4MaunNorth-West District85,350
5MolepololeKweneng District74,861
6SeroweCentral District55,676
7TlokwengSouth-East District55,508
8PalapyeCentral District52,636
9MochudiKgatleng District50,321
10MahalapyeCentral District48,431
11KanyeSouthern District48,028
12Selibe PhikweSelibe Phikwe42,488
13LetlhakaneCentral District36,404
14RamotswaSouth-East District33,271
15LobatseLobatse29,772
16MmopaneKweneng District25,460
17ThamagaKweneng District25,300
18MoshupaSouthern District23,858
19TonotaCentral District23,296
20BobonongCentral District21,216
21GabaneKweneng District20,027
22GhanziGhanzi District19,012
23JwanengJwaneng18,784
24TutumeCentral District18,582
25KopongKweneng District13,823
26MmadinareCentral District13,198
27Tati SidingNorth-East District12,404
28TshabongKgalagadi District11,651
29MetsimotlhabeKweneng District11,617
30GumareNorth-West District11,572
31ShakaweNorth-West District10,589
32OodiKgatleng District10,257
33BokaaKgatleng District9,146
34KasaneChobe District9,143
35BorolongCentral District8,917
36ShoshongCentral District8,887
37MolapowabojangSouthern District8,722
38KazungulaChobe District8,704
39OrapaOrapa8,648
40LetlhakengKweneng District8,343
41NataCentral District7,779
42RakopsCentral District7,439
43MmankgodiKweneng District7,396
44LeralaCentral District7,204
45OtseSouth-East District6,986
46KumakwaneKweneng District6,826
47SeseSouthern District6,798
48KangKgalagadi District6,764
49LentsweletauKweneng District6,653
50Ramotswa station/TaungSouth-East District6,286
51MasungaNorth-East District6,216
52LotlhakaneSouthern District6,045
53SefopheCentral District6,001
54RasesaKgatleng District5,966
55MaitengweCentral District5,929
56MathangwaneCentral District5,918
57Shashe-MookeCentral District5,897
58Good HopeSouthern District5,672
59GwetaCentral District5,548
60MmathetheSouthern District5,421
61SefhareCentral District5,381
62ChadibeCentral District5,371
63TsetsebjweCentral District5,248
64HukuntsiKgalagadi District5,224
65Charles HillGhanzi District5,164
66MorwaKgatleng District4,988
67MandunyaneCentral District4,584
68Etsha 6North-West District4,570
69DigawanaSouthern District4,356
70MokatseKgatleng District4,321
71Pitsane SidingSouthern District4,312
72MopipiCentral District4,115
73DukwiCentral District4,075
74NkangeCentral District4,006
75MatshelagabediNorth-East District3,987
76RamokgonamiCentral District3,932
77SebinaCentral District3,865
78MaunatlalaCentral District3,862
79Shashe-MookeCentral District3,805
80ManyanaSouthern District3,752
81ChadibeCentral District3,678
82ModipaneKgatleng District3,624
83TakatokwaneKweneng District3,444
84Etsha 13North-West District3,401
85LechengCentral District3,352
86WerdaKgalagadi District3,349
87MoiyabanaCentral District3,264
88GakutoKweneng District3,227
89PilaneKgatleng District3,222
90RanakaSouthern District3,207
91MatebelengKgatleng District3,198
92RadiseleCentral District3,164
93KhudumelapyeKweneng District3,135
94KhakheaSouthern District3,084
95SeruleCentral District3,062
96MatlapanaNorth-West District3,043
97MogorosiCentral District3,027
98TobaneCentral District3,001
99MookaneCentral District3,001
100MmashoroCentral District2,939
101Thebephatshwa Air Base (BDFCamp)Kweneng District2,929
102MogobaneSouth-East District2,926
103SowaSowa2,914
104ThabalaCentral District2,911
105NtlhantlheSouthern District2,842
106DekarGhanzi District2,814
107MalolwaneKgatleng District2,806
108SerongaNorth-West District2,796
109MachanengCentral District2,786
110PandamatengaChobe District2,750
111PajeCentral District2,735
112MolalatauCentral District2,703
113SehithwaNorth-West District2,703
114TumaseraCentral District2,636
115DitshegwaneKweneng District2,607
116SalajweKweneng District2,602
117MokoboxaneCentral District2,598
118MathathaneCentral District2,587
119MmathubudukwaneKgatleng District2,517
120NokanengNorth-West District2,510
121MabutsaneSouthern District2,507
122Mohembo WestNorth-West District2,500
123MarapongCentral District2,493
124NshakashokweCentral District2,491
125SeneteCentral District2,457
126ArtisiaKgatleng District2,422
127SojweKweneng District2,419
128MabeleapudiCentral District2,407
129LesenepoleCentral District2,403
130MosolotshaneCentral District2,375
131TshesebeNorth-East District2,375
132MatsilojeNorth-East District2,368
133OtseCentral District2,360
134KalamareCentral District2,350
135RatholoCentral District2,338
136MokobengCentral District2,257
137NcojaneGhanzi District2,242
138NswazwiCentral District2,239
139LorolwanaSouthern District2,225
140MogapiCentral District2,214
141MakoboCentral District2,191
142TsamayaNorth-East District2,190
143TsauNorth-West District2,144
144MmatsetaKweneng District2,120
145SelekaCentral District2,115
146MaokaneSouthern District2,098
147SepopaNorth-West District2,090
148MabesekwaCentral District2,085
149MoletemaneCentral District2,077
150TshimoyapulaCentral District2,073
151MosetseCentral District2,064
152Lotlhakane WestSouthern District2,056
153MokubiloCentral District2,047
154XhumoCentral District2,041
155LehututuKgalagadi District2,035
156SesungKweneng District2,014
157MorokaNorth-East District2,000
158GobojangoCentral District1,981
159RakhunaSouthern District1,980
160MarobelaCentral District1,970
161MoshanengSouthern District1,961
162ThemashangaNorth-East District1,955
163TsootshaGhanzi District1,911
164GojwaneCentral District1,888
165KauxwhiNorth-West District1,888
166KudumatseCentral District1,876
167MalatswaiCentral District1,867
168MmanokoKweneng District1,861
169TotengNorth-West District1,854
170MabuleSouthern District1,835
171MaboaneKweneng District1,811
172MakwateCentral District1,806
173LokgwabeKgalagadi District1,792
174MotlhabanengCentral District1,790
175DimajweCentral District1,788
176MakopongKgalagadi District1,788
177MajwanengCentral District1,779
178ZwenshambeNorth-East District1,776
179DitladiNorth-East District1,756
180MogapinyanaCentral District1,754
181MagotlhwaneSouthern District1,751
182SelokolelaSouthern District1,750
183LorwanaSouthern District1,721
184MotokweKweneng District1,720
185MmatshumoCentral District1,719
186MoshawengKweneng District1,700
187MosuCentral District1,697
188KokotshaKgalagadi District1,696
189KgomokasitwaSouthern District1,669
190SamochemaNorth-West District1,667
191GoshweCentral District1,640
192NataleCentral District1,638
193Phitshane MolopoSouthern District1,625
194New XadeGhanzi District1,619
195GamodubuKweneng District1,613
196TopisiCentral District1,607
197SeolwaneCentral District1,596
198XakaoNorth-West District1,594
199KgagodiCentral District1,593
200ZorogaCentral District1,592
201MakalamabediCentral District1,591
202KodibelengCentral District1,589
203RamatlabamaSouthern District1,588
204TshokweCentral District1,586
205MafongoCentral District1,583
206SikwaneKgatleng District1,580
207RamokgwebanaNorth-East District1,565
208KediaCentral District1,563
209Etsha 1North-West District1,554
210MatoboCentral District1,553
211NlakhwaneNorth-East District1,547
212DamochojenaCentral District1,527
213PitsengSouthern District1,526
214KhweeCentral District1,509
215MatsitamaCentral District1,502
216BeetshaNorth-West District1,502
217NxamasereNorth-West District1,501
218SemolaleCentral District1,497
219BotlhapatlouKweneng District1,493
220SenyaweNorth-East District1,481
221SekomaSouthern District1,471
222DutlweKweneng District1,464
223MakalengNorth-East District1,463
224MapokaNorth-East District1,457
225GootauCentral District1,455
226TamasaneCentral District1,426
227MalwelweKweneng District1,414
228PhephengKgalagadi District1,411
229BoatlanameKweneng District1,405
230Dibete StationCentral District1,403
231KutamogreeCentral District1,397
232DinokweCentral District1,392
233BorotsiCentral District1,388
234Jackalas 2North-East District1,388
235SorilatholoKweneng District1,373
236SiviyaNorth-East District1,366
237KarengNorth-West District1,361
238Jackalas 1North-East District1,352
239PilikweCentral District1,346
240MmaphashalalaCentral District1,342
241NgarangeNorth-West District1,336
242LekgolobotloSouthern District1,334
243TloanengKweneng District1,326
244HatsalatladiKweneng District1,314
245MaapeCentral District1,314
246MoralaneCentral District1,310
247KhawaKgalagadi District1,299
248BrayKgalagadi District1,286
249KaudwaneKweneng District1,283
250SehunouCentral District1,274
251ShakweCentral District1,272
252MotopiCentral District1,272
253SekhutlaneSouthern District1,266
254OmawenenoKgalagadi District1,256
255MokolodiKweneng District1,250
256MotshegaletauCentral District1,238
257LesomaChobe District1,235
258MabalaneKgatleng District1,227
259KukeGhanzi District1,226
260Shashe BridgeNorth-East District1,225
261KengSouthern District1,220
262KachikauChobe District1,214
263Groote LaagteGhanzi District1,206
264SerinaneKweneng District1,198
265MatlhakolaCentral District1,192
266MoshophaCentral District1,191
267GasitaSouthern District1,188
268MahotshwaneSouthern District1,181
269MulambakwenaNorth-East District1,177
270TlhankaneSouthern District1,154
271SepakoCentral District1,152
272MosojaneNorth-East District1,145
273KokongSouthern District1,141
274LeologaneKweneng District1,128
275NgwareKweneng District1,124
276GaniNorth-West District1,119
277MalakaCentral District1,112
278West HanahaiGhanzi District1,101
279GathwaneSouthern District1,099
280KarakobisGhanzi District1,096
281TshaneKgalagadi District1,092
282BorotsiCentral District1,086
283BodibengNorth-West District1,083
284MogonyeSouthern District1,081
285JamatakaCentral District1,079
286MogomothoNorth-West District1,078
287MokhombaSouthern District1,077
288LepokoleCentral District1,051
289DagwiCentral District1,048
290MagoriapitseSouthern District1,048
291MmeyaCentral District1,043
292QaboGhanzi District1,042
293MetloboSouthern District1,039
294Malotwana SidingKgatleng District1,037
295ShorobeNorth-West District1,027
296QangwaNorth-West District1,018
297KumagaCentral District1,016
298Pitsana-PotokweSouthern District1,012
299SegwagwaSouthern District1,008
300DovedaleCentral District1,006
301ChobokwaneGhanzi District1,005
302ParakarunguChobe District1,005
303MmadikolaCentral District1,004
304MokgeneneCentral District1,000

Population Size and Growth

  • 2022 Population: 2,346,179 (up from 2,024,904 in 2011).
  • Growth Rate: 15.9% increase over 11 years (2011–2022), with an annual growth rate of 1.4% (down from 1.9% in 2011).
  • Historical Decline: Growth rates have steadily decreased from 4.6% (1981) to 1.4% (2022). At this rate, Botswana’s population will double in ~58 years.

District-Level Variations

  • Highest Growth Districts:
  • Ngamiland East (2.8%): Driven by tourism.
  • Kgatleng (2.7%) & South East (2.6%): Proximity to Gaborone.
  • Ngwaketse West (5.1%): Artificial surge due to boundary changes (6 villages added from Kanye/Moshupa).
  • Declining Populations:
  • Urban mining districts (Selebi Phikwe, Sowa, Orapa) saw declines due to:
    • Closure of copper-nickel mines (Selebi Phikwe).
    • Reduced soda-ash mining (Sowa).
    • Restricted access (Orapa is a closed town).
  • Letlhakane grew rapidly as a proxy for Orapa’s diamond mining opportunities.

Takeaways

  • Botswana’s population growth is slowing but remains positive.
  • Regional disparities exist, with growth tied to economic activities (tourism, mining) and urban proximity.
  • Boundary changes and mine closures significantly impact district-level figures.

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