Botswana vs South Africa: Unemployment rate
Botswana
24.48
in 2025
South Africa
32.39
in 2025
Botswana rank
4th
South Africa rank
2nd
Unemployment rate over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.39 against 24.48 in Botswana, a difference of 7.91.
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 4th 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 | 19.25 | 22.93 | 3.69 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 18.83 | 22.62 | 3.79 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 18.81 | 25.76 | 6.94 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 23.23 | 32.21 | 8.98 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment rate, Botswana or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32.39 against 24.48 in Botswana as of 2025.
- What is the difference in unemployment rate between Botswana and South Africa?
- 7.91, 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 unemployment rate?
- Botswana ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Unemployment rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.