Cattle in Botswana
Botswana had 918,057 cattle in 2024, the 104th largest in the world (0.06% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 42%. The record was 3.1 million head in 1977.
The 2024 figure is imputed by FAO.
- Animals, 2024
- 918,057 head
- World rank
- 104 of 190
- 10-year change
- −42%
- Record
- 3.1 million head
- 1977
Cattle in Botswana, 1961–2024 (head)
Botswana compared with the world, 2024
- Share of world total
- 0.06%
- 0.11% in 2014
- 10-year change
- −42%
- world +9.7%
Position in the world ranking
| # | Country | Head | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102 | Burundi | 1,228,356 | 0.08% |
| 103 | Sri Lanka | 1,125,450 | 0.07% |
| 104 | Botswana | 918,057 | 0.06% |
| 105 | Hungary | 869,900 | 0.06% |
| 106 | Norway | 852,800 | 0.05% |
Map of cattle numbers by country
Share of the world total; Botswana is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
By year
| Year | Head | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 918,057 | −8.2% |
| 2023 | 1,000,000 | −9.1% |
| 2022 | 1,100,000 | +11% |
| 2021 | 990,000 | −1.0% |
| 2020 | 1,000,000 | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 934,732 | −12% |
| 2018 | 1,060,563 | −3.6% |
| 2017 | 1,100,375 | −27% |
| 2016 | 1,500,000 | −14% |
| 2015 | 1,744,166 | +9.2% |
| 2014 | 1,596,605 | −23% |
| 2013 | 2,083,847 | −7.3% |
| 2012 | 2,247,893 | −12% |
| 2011 | 2,554,364 | −3.6% |
| 2010 | 2,648,842 | +9.8% |
| 2009 | 2,412,635 | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 2,219,503 | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 2,171,263 | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 2,150,000 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 2,125,000 | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 2,050,000 | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 2,028,000 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 2,000,000 | −19% |
| 2001 | 2,468,000 | −5.1% |
| 2000 | 2,600,000 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 2,581,000 | +10% |
| 1998 | 2,345,000 | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 2,212,000 | −1.6% |
| 1996 | 2,249,000 | −11% |
| 1995 | 2,530,000 | +20% |
| 1994 | 2,100,000 | +15% |
| 1993 | 1,821,000 | −9.0% |
| 1992 | 2,000,000 | −9.1% |
| 1991 | 2,200,000 | −18% |
| 1990 | 2,696,000 | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 2,528,000 | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 2,408,400 | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 2,263,400 | −2.9% |
| 1986 | 2,332,000 | −5.2% |
| 1985 | 2,459,400 | −8.4% |
| 1984 | 2,685,300 | −4.7% |
| 1983 | 2,818,000 | −5.4% |
| 1982 | 2,979,000 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 2,967,000 | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 2,911,000 | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 2,840,000 | −2.1% |
| 1978 | 2,900,000 | −6.5% |
| 1977 | 3,100,000 | +8.6% |
| 1976 | 2,855,000 | +11% |
| 1975 | 2,564,000 | +11% |
| 1974 | 2,316,000 | +9.4% |
| 1973 | 2,117,000 | +5.9% |
| 1972 | 2,000,000 | +18% |
| 1971 | 1,700,000 | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 1,650,000 | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 1,630,000 | +16% |
| 1968 | 1,400,000 | +12% |
| 1967 | 1,249,000 | +20% |
| 1966 | 1,044,000 | −17% |
| 1965 | 1,263,000 | −19% |
| 1964 | 1,563,000 | −1.1% |
| 1963 | 1,580,000 | −0.9% |
| 1962 | 1,595,000 | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 1,570,000 | — |
Questions and answers
How many cattle are there in Botswana?
Botswana had 918,057 cattle in 2024, 0.06% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
Where does Botswana rank in the world by number of cattle?
Botswana ranked 104th of 190 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in Brazil with 15.1% of the world total.
How has the number of cattle in Botswana changed?
It fell by 42% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 3.1 million head in 1977.
Where does this data come from?
From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Botswana is imputed by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.
Other large producers
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.