Botswana vs Zimbabwe: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP
Botswana
-5.5%
in 2025
Zimbabwe
-5.4%
in 2024
Botswana rank
112th
Zimbabwe rank
110th
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP over time
- Botswana
- Zimbabwe
How they compare
Zimbabwe currently reports -5.4% against -5.5% in Botswana, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 50 shared years of data; in 1975 it was Zimbabwe ahead.
Botswana ranks 112th and Zimbabwe ranks 110th of 191 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 4 and Zimbabwe in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | Zimbabwe | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -16.4% | 0.6% | 17.0% | Zimbabwe |
| 1980s | 5.3% | -0.8% | 6.1% | Botswana |
| 1990s | 7.9% | -2.3% | 10.2% | Botswana |
| 2000s | 8.1% | -8.9% | 17.0% | Botswana |
| 2010s | -3.8% | -13.3% | 9.5% | Botswana |
| 2020s | -8.8% | -4.6% | 4.2% | Zimbabwe |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp, Botswana or Zimbabwe?
- Zimbabwe, at -5.4% against -5.5% in Botswana as of 2024.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp between Botswana and Zimbabwe?
- 0.1%, with Zimbabwe ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Zimbabwe?
- 50 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2024.
- How do Botswana and Zimbabwe rank globally for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Botswana ranks 112th and Zimbabwe ranks 110th of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.