Trade (% of GDP) in Botswana
Botswana: Trade (% of GDP) was 69.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
69.5%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
120th
of 193 countries
All-time high
125.8%
in 2013
All-time low
65.9%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Trade in Botswana, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 69.5% for trade in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 38.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in Botswana peaked at 125.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 65.9%, in 1960.
Botswana ranks 120th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Trade (% of GDP) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 65.9% | — |
| 1961 | 69.7% | +5.8% |
| 1962 | 72.8% | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 76.3% | +4.9% |
| 1964 | 77.4% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 82.3% | +6.4% |
| 1966 | 80.2% | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 75.4% | -6.0% |
| 1968 | 86.0% | +14.1% |
| 1969 | 75.3% | -12.4% |
| 1970 | 85.6% | +13.6% |
| 1971 | 94.7% | +10.7% |
| 1972 | 97.9% | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 100.8% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 105.7% | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 107.4% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 116.7% | +8.7% |
| 1977 | 120.2% | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 120.6% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 119.4% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 119.5% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 121.2% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 123.8% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 124.6% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 118.8% | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 117.5% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 117.5% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 123.6% | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 114.5% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 105.4% | -7.9% |
| 1990 | 104.8% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 99.6% | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 89.8% | -9.9% |
| 1993 | 86.2% | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 88.2% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 94.6% | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 91.0% | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 108.6% | +19.4% |
| 1998 | 101.8% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 98.9% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 91.9% | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 87.5% | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 91.8% | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 85.8% | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 91.0% | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 88.5% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 86.6% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 98.5% | +13.7% |
| 2008 | 99.0% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 88.5% | -10.6% |
| 2010 | 94.6% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 99.0% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 111.9% | +13.0% |
| 2013 | 125.8% | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 119.5% | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 112.9% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 100.5% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 81.9% | -18.5% |
| 2018 | 87.5% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 83.1% | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 80.3% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 91.0% | +13.3% |
| 2022 | 86.1% | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 70.1% | -18.5% |
| 2024 | 69.4% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 69.5% | +0.1% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 69.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 79.9%, 87% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 69.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.9%, 1.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 76.1% | 65.9% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 106.9% | 85.6% | 120.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 118.6% | 105.4% | 124.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 96.3% | 86.2% | 108.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 90.9% | 85.8% | 99.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 101.7% | 81.9% | 125.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.8% | 69.4% | 91.0% | 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0175 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 136.3 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.6918 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0128 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 99.52 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0101 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in Botswana?
- Trade in Botswana was 69.5% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest trade recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 125.8% in 2013.
- What is the lowest trade recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.9% in 1960.
- How does Botswana rank for trade?
- Botswana ranks 120th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Trade (% 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 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Trade is the sum of exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.