Botswana vs South Africa: Youth unemployment rate
Botswana
46.0%
in 2025
South Africa
59.9%
in 2025
Botswana rank
5th
South Africa rank
2nd
Youth unemployment rate over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 59.9% against 46.0% in Botswana, a difference of 13.9%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Botswana's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was South Africa ahead.
Botswana ranks 5th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 186 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 34.5% | 43.2% | 8.7% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 36.8% | 44.1% | 7.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 34.8% | 52.2% | 17.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 43.7% | 61.2% | 17.5% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher youth unemployment rate, Botswana or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 59.9% against 46.0% in Botswana as of 2025.
- What is the difference in youth unemployment rate between Botswana and South Africa?
- 13.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and South Africa?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Botswana and South Africa rank globally for youth unemployment rate?
- Botswana ranks 5th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Youth unemployment rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the labor force aged 15-24 without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.