Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana
Botswana: Maternal mortality ratio was 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 57.7%
World rank
48th
of 185 countries
All-time high
260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2012
All-time low
107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2017
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Botswana is 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 57.7% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Botswana peaked at 260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012 and was at its lowest, 107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2017.
Botswana ranks 48th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Botswana, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 228.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 226.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 220.61 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 234.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 225.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 235.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 228.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 224.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 203.82 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.2% |
| 1994 | 197.72 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 181.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 1996 | 184.22 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 171.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 172.94 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 176.64 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 181.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 183.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 174.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 184.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 196.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 201.46 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 213.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 215.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 221.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 185.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | -16.5% |
| 2010 | 155.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | -15.9% |
| 2011 | 225.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | +44.8% |
| 2012 | 260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | +15.3% |
| 2013 | 141.98 deaths per 100,000 live births | -45.5% |
| 2014 | 178.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | +25.8% |
| 2015 | 183.87 deaths per 100,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 134.23 deaths per 100,000 live births | -27.0% |
| 2017 | 107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | -19.8% |
| 2018 | 162.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | +50.8% |
| 2019 | 117.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | -27.4% |
| 2020 | 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | +57.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 45.53 deaths per 100,000 live births, 4.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 55% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +57.7% | 117.88 deaths per 100,000 live births | 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 2018 | +50.8% | 107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | 162.27 deaths per 100,000 live births |
| 2013 | -45.5% | 260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 141.98 deaths per 100,000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 227.29 deaths per 100,000 live births | 220.61 deaths per 100,000 live births | 234.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 197.59 deaths per 100,000 live births | 171.5 deaths per 100,000 live births | 235.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 195.74 deaths per 100,000 live births | 174.2 deaths per 100,000 live births | 221.78 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 166.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | 107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births | 260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 45 Equatorial Guinea 212.33 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 46 East Timor 203.92 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 47 Papua New Guinea 191.84 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 49 Yemen 183.4 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 50 Myanmar 178.67 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 51 Nepal 174.41 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 185.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 260.27 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 107.63 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.
- How does Botswana rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Botswana ranks 48th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.