Moving to Botswana from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Syria to Botswana — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Syria to Botswana, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Tswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria and Botswana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
BW
10.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
BW
16.5

Syria generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
BW
3.8

Syria performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
BW
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
BW
2.7t

Syria generally does better on environment, though Botswana leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
BW
4.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
BW
2.4%

Botswana generally does better on infrastructure, though Syria leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
BW
$17,500

Syria generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
BW
25.2

Syria generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Gaborone Rain: 21.7 in/yr (552 mm)
83° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Gaborone
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Gaborone
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria and Botswana. To live, work, or study long-term in Botswana, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Botswana's immigration authority.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Syria passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Botswana.
Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Botswana passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Botswana?

With 4.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Botswana can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Syria and Botswana.

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Syria?

Syria performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY BW
Population 21,563,800 2,384,246
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages Arabic English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +963 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999