Source
Central bank

Bank of Botswana

International Reserves

USD 6.7 billion (2018)

International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019

Gross Domestic Product - GDP

USD 19.0 billion (2018, estimate)

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Intl$ 41.9 billion (2018, estimate)

Real GDP growth
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
8.3% 6.2% -7.7% 8.6% 6% 4.5% 11.3%
2014 2015 2016 2017* 2018*    
4.1% -1.7% 4.3% 2.9% 4.6%    

*Estimate

GDP per capita - current prices

USD 8,137.2 (2018, estimate)

GDP per capita - PPP

Intl$ 17,965.4 (2018, estimate)

GDP (PPP) - share of world total
1980 1990 2000 2010 2019*
0.01% 0.03% 0.03% 0.03% 0.03%

*Estimate

 
 
Source
GDP - composition by sector
  • agriculture: 2% 
  • industry: 29.3% 
  • services: 59.5%

(2018 estimate)

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP)

N/A

 

Inflation
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
3.1% 2.8% 3.3% 3.2% 3%

*Estimate

Unemployment rate
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

*Estimate

Household saving rates

N/A

Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019*
17.2% 15.6% 13.4% 12.1% 12.3%

*Estimate

Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019*
-4.6% 0.7% -1.1% -3% -3.1%

*Estimate

Government bond ratings

Standard & Poor's: A-

Moody's: A2

Standard & Poor's / Moody's 

Market value of publicly traded shares
2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A
Largest companies

N/A

 
 
Source
Current account balance

USD 0.3 billion (2018 estimate)

Current account balance by percentage of GDP

1.9 % (2018 estimate)

Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)

39.4% (2018)

Shares in world total merchandising export

0.03% (2018)

Shares in world total commercial services export

0.02% (2018)

Total exports

USD 7.4 billion (2018 estimate)

Export commodities

Diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, beef, textiles

Total imports

USD 7.0 billion (2018 estimate)

 
 
Source
Import commodities

Foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products

Exports - major partners

Belgium 20.3%, India 12.6%, UAE 12.4%, South Africa 11.9%, Singapore 8.7%, Israel 7%, Hong Kong 4.1%, Namibia 4.1% (2017)

Imports - major partners

South Africa 66.1%, Canada 8.3%, Israel 5.3% (2017)

FDI inflows
2016 2017 2018
USD 122 million USD 177 million USD 229 million
FDI outflows
2016 2017 2018
USD 318 million USD 333 million USD 125 million
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
2015 2016 2017 2018
USD -3.0 million N/A USD 7.1 million USD 0.0 million
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Best countries for doing business

Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

Overall ranking:

87 out of 190 countries

​Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 159 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 44 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 139 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 82 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 80 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 72 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 59 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 55 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 137 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 84 out of 190 countries

Global competitiveness ranking

91 out of 141 countries

(2019)

Index of Economic Freedom

Ranking: 36 / Score: 69.5 (Moderately free)

(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)

 
 
Source
Time zone

UTC+2

Total area

581,730 sq km

Capital

Gaborone

Currency

Pulas (BWP)

Government type

Parliamentary republic

Languages

Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.)

Religions

Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)

Total population
1990 2000 2010 2015 2020*
1.38 million 1.76 million 2.01 million 2.21 million 2.42 million

*Estimate 

 
 
Source
Urban population as % of total population
1960 1980 2000 2018
3.1% 16.5% 53.2% 69.4%
Population median age

24.9 years 

Population growth rate

1.52% (2018 estimate)

Life expectancy

63.8 years (2018 estimate)

Literacy

Total population: 88.5% 
Male: 88% 
Female: 88.9%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

% of population living on less than $3.10 a day

38.5% (last available estimate, 2015)

Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)

53.3 (last available estimate, 2015)

Freedom House rating

Free
Political Rights: 3
Civil Liberties: 2 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)

Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population

Fixed: 6.3%

Mobile: 150%

(2018)

(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)

Internet users as % of total population

47 % (2017)

Mercer Cost of living index

Gaborone: 189th (2019)

CO2 emissions

3.37 metric tons per capita (2014)

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