External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Botswana
Botswana: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP was -5.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-5.5%
Change on year
up 64.2%
World rank
112th
of 191 countries
All-time high
26.7%
in 1987
All-time low
-39.9%
in 1968
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Botswana, 1960–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Botswana recorded -5.5% for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 64.2% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Botswana peaked at 26.7% in 1987 and was at its lowest, -39.9%, in 1968.
That places Botswana 112th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -13.4% | — |
| 1961 | -15.3% | +14.5% |
| 1962 | -16.9% | +10.5% |
| 1963 | -18.4% | +8.5% |
| 1964 | -19.8% | +7.7% |
| 1965 | -18.9% | -4.4% |
| 1966 | -21.7% | +14.7% |
| 1967 | -26.2% | +20.7% |
| 1968 | -39.9% | +52.5% |
| 1969 | -29.8% | -25.3% |
| 1970 | -36.3% | +21.7% |
| 1971 | -28.4% | -21.6% |
| 1972 | -23.2% | -18.5% |
| 1973 | -23.1% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | -23.9% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | -20.2% | -15.3% |
| 1976 | -15.9% | -21.1% |
| 1977 | -18.4% | +15.5% |
| 1978 | -16.5% | -10.6% |
| 1979 | -11.1% | -32.4% |
| 1980 | -13.4% | +20.3% |
| 1981 | -21.8% | +63.1% |
| 1982 | -14.7% | -32.6% |
| 1983 | -0.5% | -96.7% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | -690.9% |
| 1985 | 15.1% | +428.6% |
| 1986 | 19.2% | +27.5% |
| 1987 | 26.7% | +39.0% |
| 1988 | 26.6% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 13.1% | -50.8% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | -59.8% |
| 1991 | 6.5% | +23.5% |
| 1992 | 6.6% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 8.0% | +20.8% |
| 1994 | 7.5% | -6.5% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 16.7% | +136.0% |
| 1997 | 13.2% | -21.2% |
| 1998 | -3.3% | -124.8% |
| 1999 | 11.5% | -451.4% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 9.8% | -16.6% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | +27.5% |
| 2003 | 11.8% | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | -30.4% |
| 2005 | 17.3% | +110.7% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 14.5% | -14.7% |
| 2008 | -5.1% | -135.4% |
| 2009 | -16.8% | +228.7% |
| 2010 | -10.4% | -38.4% |
| 2011 | -10.5% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | -15.6% | +49.2% |
| 2013 | -3.0% | -80.7% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -201.5% |
| 2015 | -6.7% | -319.0% |
| 2016 | 8.8% | -230.3% |
| 2017 | 3.9% | -55.3% |
| 2018 | 1.0% | -74.4% |
| 2019 | -8.9% | -990.7% |
| 2020 | -17.8% | +99.9% |
| 2021 | -7.5% | -57.9% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -111.8% |
| 2023 | -4.3% | -586.1% |
| 2024 | -15.3% | +254.1% |
| 2025 | -5.5% | -64.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -22.0% | -39.9% | -13.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | -21.7% | -36.3% | -11.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.3% | -21.8% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.9% | -3.3% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | -16.8% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.8% | -15.6% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -8.3% | -17.8% | 0.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More economy & growth data for Botswana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 21.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 4.33 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 33,643 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 14.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3106 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 2,416 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2823 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Botswana?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Botswana was -5.5% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 1987.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -39.9% in 1968.
- How does Botswana rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Botswana ranks 112th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures 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 part of External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.