Unreached peoples of Botswana
An overview of the country's people groups, focusing on those who still have little or no access to the gospel in their own language and culture.
Botswana has a Christian majority, but some peoples remain little reached by the gospel. The Kalanga, the second largest group, in the northeast, and the San, hunter-gatherers of the Kalahari among the oldest of humanity, are among those most in need of access. Some local languages still await Bible translation, and syncretism with ancestral beliefs is the greatest challenge to the depth of the faith.
- 0.3% Unreached (7K)
- 3.8% Minimally reached (95K)
- 6.5% Superficially reached (162K)
- 78.7% Partially reached (2M)
- 10.8% Significantly reached (270K)
- 2.2% Unreached (1)
- 17.8% Minimally reached (8)
- 2.2% Superficially reached (1)
- 64.4% Partially reached (29)
- 13.3% Significantly reached (6)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
| People | Population | Language | Evang. | Chr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kung-Ekoka | 28K | Kung-Ekoka | 0.2% | 10% |
| South Asian | 10.8M | Hindi | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Deaf Frontier | 27.5M | Pakistan Sign Language | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Handa Tsexa | 1K | Ani | 1.5% | 10% |
| Kua | 1K | Kua | 1% | 10% |
| Yeyi | 68K | Yeyi | 2% | 20% |
| Nusan Xoo | 4K | Taa | 2% | 14% |
| Hua | 40 | Setswana | 2% | 15% |
| Subia | 51K | Kuhane | 4.2% | 40.3% |
| Naro | 12K | Naro | 5% | 8% |
| Tshara-Tshao | 8K | Tshuwau | 5% | 20% |
| Gxana l lGana | 1K | Gana | 5% | 20% |
| Tswapong | 10K | Tswapong | 6% | 86% |
| Shua | 2K | Shua | 6% | 13% |
| Birwa | 169K | Birwa | 6% | 34.8% |
| Kung-Tsumkwe | 73K | Ju'hoan | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| Mbukushu | 129K | Mbukushu | 7.8% | 53.1% |
| British | 55M | English | 8.9% | 60.4% |
| Herero | 384K | Herero | 9% | 95.9% |
| Tswana-Ngwato | 653K | Setswana | 9.8% | 69.1% |
| Tswana-Kwena | 316K | Setswana | 9.8% | 60.7% |
| Nambya | 152K | Nambya | 10% | 45% |
| Heikum | 73K | Haiom | 10% | 10% |
| Tswana-Seleka | 9K | Setswana | 10% | 58% |
| Gwi | 2K | Gwi | 10% | 20% |
| Tswana-Ngwaketse | 432K | Setswana | 10.8% | 72.3% |
| Kalanga | 432K | Kalanga | 11.1% | 71.9% |
| Tswana-Malete Moletse | 107K | Setswana | 11.5% | 67.7% |
| Bangologa Kgalagadi | 82K | Kgalagadi | 11.9% | 31.9% |
| Luyana Kwangali | 325K | Kwangali | 12% | 90% |
| Tswana-Tawana | 195K | Setswana | 12% | 68% |
| Northern Pedi Sotho | 6.1M | Northern Soto | 12.2% | 82.3% |
| Kxoe Xun | 10K | Khwedam | 12.5% | 19.7% |
| Tswana-Rolong | 665K | Setswana | 12.8% | 77.3% |
| Setswana | 940K | Setswana | 12.8% | 73.6% |
| Tswana-Tlokwa | 264K | Setswana | 13.9% | 55.7% |
| Gciriku | 104K | Gciriku | 15.5% | 60.2% |
| Lozi | 1.7M | Lozi | 18.4% | 84.2% |
| Sotho | 6.7M | Southern Soto | 19.1% | 85.3% |
| Tswana-Hurutshe | 1.7M | Setswana | 22% | 70% |
| Afrikaner | 5.1M | Afrikaans | 22.9% | 89.7% |
| Xhosa | 9.4M | Xhosa | 26.4% | 81% |
| Ndebele | 2.1M | Ndebele (Zimbabwe) | 26.6% | 78.8% |
| Zulu | 15.7M | Zulu | 28.1% | 80.9% |
| Shona | 1.5M | Shona | 31.1% | 80.4% |
Intercede for Botswana and its peoples
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