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South Africa vs Botswana

29 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is South Africa; the dashed grey line is Botswana.

Country A · South Africa
Country B · Botswana

Climate

CO2 emissions

South Africa: 439.8 Mt CO2/year · 2024Botswana: 7.46 Mt CO2/year · 2024
0200400190019502000Botswanahigh 2008

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

South Africa: 6.87 t CO2/person/year · 2024Botswana: 2.96 t CO2/person/year · 2024
0510190019502000Botswanahigh 2008

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

South Africa: 0.44 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Botswana: -0.37 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020Botswanahigh 2019low 1955

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

South Africa: 79.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Botswana: 10.2 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501850190019502000Botswanahigh 2014

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

South Africa: 542.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Botswana: 26.2 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
02004006001850190019502000Botswanahigh 2008

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

South Africa: 20.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Botswana: 7.93 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
010201850190019502000Botswanahigh 1997

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

South Africa: 325.4 Mt CO2/year · 2023Botswana: 14.5 Mt CO2/year · 2023
02004001990200020102020Botswanahigh 1997low 2002

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

South Africa: 72.2 kg CO2/person/year · 2023Botswana: 18.0 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
05010020142016201820202022Botswana

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Energy use per person

South Africa: 21,287 kWh/person/year · 2024Botswana: 9,508 kWh/person/year · 2023
010k20k30k197019801990200020102020Botswanahigh 2008low 1966

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

South Africa: 8.02 % of electricity · 2025Botswana: 0.29 % of electricity · 2024
051990200020102020Botswana

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

South Africa: 4.66 % of electricity · 2025Botswana: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
0241990200020102020Botswanahigh 2023

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

South Africa: 81.4 % of electricity · 2025Botswana: 98.3 % of electricity · 2024
0501001990200020102020Botswanahigh 1993

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

South Africa: 0.80 % of electricity · 2025Botswana: 1.46 % of electricity · 2024
01020301990200020102020Botswanahigh 2015low 1989

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

South Africa: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025Botswana: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
00.511990200020102020Botswanahigh 2014

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

South Africa: 39,484 ha/year · 2024Botswana: 1.23 ha/year · 2024
050k100k2005201020152020Botswanahigh 2006low 2023

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

South Africa: 18.9 % of land · 2025Botswana: 27.8 % of land · 2025
010201990200020102020Botswana

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

South Africa: 43.8 deaths/year · 2021Botswana: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021
05010020002005201020152020Botswanahigh 2019low 2007

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

South Africa: 0.76 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Botswana: 0.98 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020Botswana

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

South Africa: 9.50 % of land area · 2024Botswana: 29.1 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024Botswana

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

South Africa: 58.3 kg/person/year · 2023Botswana: 43.3 kg/person/year · 2023
0204060198020002020Botswanahigh 2016low 1989

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

South Africa: 30.5 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Botswana: 67.0 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
050198020002020Botswanahigh 2021

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Urban population

South Africa: 63.8 % living in cities · 2025Botswana: 68.0 % living in cities · 2025
02040601960198020002020Botswana

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

South Africa: 67.6 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Botswana: 2.23 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
020406020002005201020152020Botswana

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

South Africa: 718.2 m³/person/year · 2022Botswana: 983.7 m³/person/year · 2022
02k4k198020002020Botswana

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

South Africa: 68.0 % of population · 2024Botswana: 63.3 % of population · 2024
020406020002005201020152020Botswanahigh 2020

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

South Africa: 652.2 mm/year · 2025Botswana: 685.7 mm/year · 2025
050019401960198020002020Botswanahigh 1974low 1954

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

South Africa: 17.9 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Botswana: 53.7 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-5005019401960198020002020Botswanahigh 1974low 1954

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

South Africa: 24.4 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Botswana: 16.7 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0102020002005201020152020Botswanahigh 2022low 1999

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

South Africa: 88.7 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Botswana: 1.21 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
010k20k1990200020102020Botswanahigh 1989

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data