Maternal mortality in Botswana
Botswana: Maternal mortality was 185.9 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality in Botswana, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 185.9 for maternal mortality in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 57.7% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Botswana peaked at 260.27 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 107.63, in 2017.
That places Botswana 49th out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 228.82 | — |
| 1986 | 226.59 | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 220.61 | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 234.85 | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 225.6 | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 235.16 | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 228.08 | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 224.47 | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 203.82 | -9.2% |
| 1994 | 197.72 | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 181.36 | -8.3% |
| 1996 | 184.22 | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 171.5 | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 172.94 | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 176.64 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 181.56 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 183.86 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 174.2 | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 184.5 | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 196.2 | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 201.46 | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 213.02 | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 215.56 | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 221.78 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 185.27 | -16.5% |
| 2010 | 155.9 | -15.9% |
| 2011 | 225.79 | +44.8% |
| 2012 | 260.27 | +15.3% |
| 2013 | 141.98 | -45.5% |
| 2014 | 178.56 | +25.8% |
| 2015 | 183.87 | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 134.23 | -27.0% |
| 2017 | 107.63 | -19.8% |
| 2018 | 162.27 | +50.8% |
| 2019 | 117.88 | -27.4% |
| 2020 | 185.9 | +57.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 185.9 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 51.11, 3.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 185.9 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15, 55% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality 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 | 185.9 |
| 2018 | +50.8% | 107.63 | 162.27 |
| 2013 | -45.5% | 260.27 | 141.98 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 227.29 | 220.61 | 234.85 | 5 |
| 1990s | 197.59 | 171.5 | 235.16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 195.74 | 174.2 | 221.78 | 10 |
| 2010s | 166.84 | 107.63 | 260.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 185.9 | 185.9 | 185.9 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 46 Equatorial Guinea 212.33 compare
- 47 East Timor 203.92 compare
- 48 Papua New Guinea 191.84 compare
- 50 Yemen 183.4 compare
- 51 Myanmar 178.67 compare
- 52 Nepal 174.41 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 281 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0591 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Botswana?
- Maternal mortality in Botswana was 185.9 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 260.27 in 2012.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 107.63 in 2017.
- How does Botswana rank for maternal mortality?
- Botswana ranks 49th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality. 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).