Palapye Population 2026

Palapye has a population of 52,636, making it the #8 biggest city in 🇧🇼 Botswana, located in Central. Roughly 2.0% of Botswana's population lives here. It is about 4.7× smaller than Gaborone, the country's biggest city.

Location of Palapye (capital Gaborone shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

52,636

Rank in Botswana

Coordinates

22.55°S, 27.13°E

~926 m elevation · Africa/Gaborone

Distance to capital (Gaborone)

265 km

165 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Central

City	Population	Rank in Botswana
Serowe	55,676	#6
Mahalapye	48,431	#10
Letlhakane	36,404	#13
Tonota	23,296	#19
Bobonong	21,216	#20
Tutume	18,582	#24

Cities near Palapye

Serowe55,676 people · ~46 km away
Mahalapye48,431 people · ~70 km away
Selebi-Phikwe42,488 people · ~97 km away
Tonota23,296 people · ~128 km away
Bobonong21,216 people · ~150 km away
Francistown103,417 people · ~158 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Palapye?

Palapye has a population of 52,636 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #8 biggest city in Botswana.

What region is Palapye in?

Palapye is located in Central, Botswana.

Is Palapye the capital of Botswana?

No, the capital of Botswana is Gaborone, about 265 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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