If you lived in Botswana instead of Sierra Leone, you would:

Health

live 6.9 years longer

In Sierra Leone, the average life expectancy is 59 years (57 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

be 13.3 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Sierra Leone, 1.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Sierra Leone, 8.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 10.3 times more money

Sierra Leone has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 71.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Sierra Leone, 56.8% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

pay a 16.7% lower top tax rate

Sierra Leone has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2014. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

be 7.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Sierra Leone, 3.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 58.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Sierra Leone, approximately 443.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 82.1% more likely to be literate

In Sierra Leone, the literacy rate is 48.6% as of 2022. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

be 65.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Sierra Leone, approximately 73.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

have 36.4% fewer children

In Sierra Leone, there are approximately 30.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.6 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Sierra Leone, approximately 29% of people have electricity access (57% in urban areas, and 5% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 5.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Sierra Leone, approximately 12.7% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 36.5% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Sierra Leone, approximately 73% of people have improved drinking water access (92% in urban areas, and 58% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 29.5% less on healthcare

Sierra Leone spends 8.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Botswana Unified Revenue Service, National Revenue Authority.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Read more

How big is Botswana compared to Sierra Leone? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Botswana.or Sierra Leone It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.