Zambezi River Basin

Proportion of urban dwellers living in slum conditions in Botswana

Population growth and urbanization in Botswana

Percentage

Thousands of people

61.0

3 000

60.5

2 500

60.0

2 000

59.5

1 500

Urban population

59.0

1 000

58.5

500

Rural population

58.0

0 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

1990

2008

Source: FAO 2010

Source: UNEP 2008

Figure 4.16

Figure 4.15

Improve the lives of slum dwellers by 2020 The proportion of people living in urban areas is expected to increase from 57 per cent in 2005 to more than 70 per cent in 2030 (Government of Botswana 2009) (Figure 4.15).

The number of people living in slum conditions as a proportion of urban residents is high, according to UNEP (2008), and slowly increasing, as shown in Figure 4.16.

Table 4.3 summarises the country’s progress towards MDG targets.

Table 4.3. Summary of Botswana’s Progress towards MDG Goal 7

Will Target BeMet

Will Target BeMet

Supportive Environment

Global Target

Vision 2016 Target

Halve by 2015 the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving by 2010 a significant reduction in the rate of loss Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes to reverse the loss of environmental resources

Achieved

Reduce by 50 percent the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2016 Reduce conflict between population growth, land usage, and natural resource degradation Promote environmental education and awareness necessary to reduce contamination, achieve sustainable development

Achieved

Strong

Likely

Likely

Strong

Likely

Likely

Strong

Source: Government of Botswana 2009

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