Female labor force participation rate in Botswana
Botswana: Female labor force participation rate was 63.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Botswana, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 63.7% for female labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Botswana peaked at 63.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 48.7%, in 1990.
Botswana ranks 26th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 48.9% | 48.7% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.5% | 49.5% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.9% | 53.3% | 58.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.9% | 56.1% | 63.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 23 Central African Republic 65.5% compare
- 24 Peru 65.0% compare
- 25 Burkina Faso 64.1% compare
- 28 Macao 63.1% compare
- 29 Kenya 63.0% compare
More work & labour data for Botswana
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 68.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 41.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Botswana?
- Female labor force participation rate in Botswana was 63.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 63.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.7% in 1990.
- How does Botswana rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Botswana ranks 26th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).