The Internet in Botswana is used by approximately 87.2% of the population, as of 2023.[1][2] There has been a massive increase in internet users since 2013 when only 30% of the population of Botswana was found to use the internet.[3][4] This is notably higher than the percentage of internet users in Africa as a whole, which is around 43%.[5] For reference, in 2023, the global statistic for internet users is 66%.
Region | 2005 | 2010 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa | 2% | 10% | 21.8% | 27.7% | 39.7% |
Americas | 36% | 49% | 65.9% | 75.9% | 83.2% |
Arab States | 8% | 26% | 43.7% | 55.2% | 70.3% |
Asia and Pacific | 9% | 23% | 43.9% | 48.9% | 64.3% |
Commonwealth of Independent States |
10% | 34% | 67.7% | 76.3% | 83.7% |
Europe | 46% | 67% | 79.6% | 81.7% | 89.5% |
Subscription | Place | 2007 | 2010 | 2014 | 2019[12] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed | Africa | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
Americas | 11% | 14% | 17% | 22% | |
Arab States | 1% | 2% | 3% | 8.1% | |
Asia and Pacific | 3% | 6% | 8% | 14.4% | |
Commonwealth of Independent States |
2% | 8% | 14% | 19.8% | |
Europe | 18% | 24% | 28% | 31.9% | |
Mobile | Africa | 0.2% | 2% | 19% | 34% |
Americas | 6% | 23% | 59% | 104.4% | |
Arab States | 0.8% | 5% | 25% | 67.3% | |
Asia and Pacific | 3% | 7% | 23% | 89% | |
Commonwealth of Independent States |
0.2% | 22% | 49% | 85.4% | |
Europe | 15% | 29% | 64% | 97.4% |
Botswana Telecom rolled out ADSL in early 2006. Current residential ADSL offerings include speeds from 512 kbit/s to 4096 kbit/s with prices from 292 to 863 BWP (~32 to ~97 US$).[18]
ADSL has been introduced in the following areas: Gaborone, Tlokweng, Mogoditshane, Molepolole, Phakalane, Francistown, Lobatse, Palapye, Maun, Kasane, Selibe-Phikwe, Letlhakane, Jwaneng, and Orapa.[19]
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or credible reports the government monitors e-mail or Internet chat rooms. The constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press and the government generally respects these rights. The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, correspondence, or browsing pornographic websites, and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice.[20]