Languages spoken in Botswana
Africa · Capital: Gaborone · Population 2.5 million
In Botswana, two languages have official status: English and Tswana. English is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 81% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 2 million people. The only other recorded language is Tswana, at 62% of the population. English belongs to the Indo-European language family. English is also spoken in all four of its neighbours. In total, two languages are recorded in Botswana, and their shares add up to 143% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.4 of them.
What languages are spoken in Botswana?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnglishIndo-European | 81% | Official | 2 million |
| TswanaNiger-Congo | 62% | Official | 1.5 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Botswana?
In Botswana, two languages have official status: English and Tswana. English is spoken by an estimated 81% of the population, or roughly 2 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak English in Botswana?
An estimated 81% of Botswana's 2.5 million people speak English, which works out at roughly 2 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Botswana
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Population
- 2.5 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 582,000 km²
- Currency
- BWP
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- 4
- ISO codes
- BW / BWA / 072
Which countries border Botswana?
Botswana shares a land border with four countries: Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. English, the most widely spoken language in Botswana, is also spoken in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
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Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.