Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana
Botswana: Maternal mortality ratio was 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births
Change on year
up 28.8%
World rank
48th
of 195 countries
All-time high
318.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births
in 1988
All-time low
46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births
in 2017
Years of data
39
1985–2023
Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana, 1985–2023
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Deaths per 100 000 live births.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births for maternal mortality ratio in 2023.
The figure is up 28.8% on the previous year and down 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Botswana peaked at 318.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 1988 and was at its lowest, 46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births, in 2017.
Botswana ranks 48th of 195 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Deaths per 100 000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 312.86 Deaths per 100 000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 304.32 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 301.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 318.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 300.43 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1990 | 296.22 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 282.65 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 262.89 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 229.84 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -12.6% |
| 1994 | 182.42 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -20.6% |
| 1995 | 148.36 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -18.7% |
| 1996 | 129.84 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -12.5% |
| 1997 | 123.15 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -5.2% |
| 1998 | 125.59 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 131.06 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 135.66 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 137.94 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 139.75 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 142.48 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 151.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 166.29 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +9.9% |
| 2006 | 204.18 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +22.8% |
| 2007 | 201.24 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 198.73 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 212.67 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 228.43 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 269.04 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +17.8% |
| 2012 | 288.06 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 221.25 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -23.2% |
| 2014 | 211.51 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 140.53 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -33.6% |
| 2016 | 72.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -48.6% |
| 2017 | 46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -36.0% |
| 2018 | 99.18 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +114.4% |
| 2019 | 100.11 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 97.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 165.44 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +69.2% |
| 2022 | 120.42 Deaths per 100 000 live births | -27.2% |
| 2023 | 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births | +28.8% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43.03 Deaths per 100 000 live births, 3.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 267.03 Deaths per 100 000 live births, 58% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +114.4% | 46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 99.18 Deaths per 100 000 live births |
| 2021 | +69.2% | 97.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 165.44 Deaths per 100 000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 307.67 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 300.43 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 318.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 191.2 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 123.15 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 296.22 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 169.02 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 135.66 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 212.67 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 167.66 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 288.06 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 134.69 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 97.8 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 165.44 Deaths per 100 000 live births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 45 Uganda 170.31 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
- 46 Tuvalu 169.71 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
- 47 Djibouti 161.88 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
- 49 Pakistan 155.03 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
- 50 Marshall Islands 154.79 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
- 51 Bolivia 146.37 Deaths per 100 000 live births compare
More health data for Botswana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,150 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 281 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6484 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0579 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9109 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Botswana?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana was 155.1 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 318.91 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 1988.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.26 Deaths per 100 000 live births in 2017.
- How does Botswana rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Botswana ranks 48th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births.