Labor force participation rate by age in Botswana

Botswana: Labor force participation rate by age was 42.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
42.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
83rd
of 188 countries
All-time high
48.9%
in 1990
All-time low
35.0%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Labor force participation rate by age in Botswana, 1990–2024

010203040501990200720241990: 48.9 %1991: 48.3 %1992: 47.6 %1993: 46.8 %1994: 45.8 %1995: 44.8 %1996: 43.6 %1997: 42.4 %1998: 41.3 %1999: 40.1 %2000: 39 %2001: 39.5 %2002: 40 %2003: 40.5 %2004: 41 %2005: 41.5 %2006: 42 %2007: 41.1 %2008: 40.2 %2009: 39.4 %2010: 38.5 %2011: 38.2 %2012: 37.9 %2013: 37.5 %2014: 37.2 %2015: 36.9 %2016: 36.6 %2017: 36.3 %2018: 36 %2019: 35.6 %2020: 35 %2021: 38 %2022: 38.8 %2023: 42.1 %2024: 42.1 %

Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for labor force participation rate by age in Botswana is 42.1%, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Botswana peaked at 48.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 35.0%, in 2020.

Botswana ranks 83rd of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 45.0% 40.1% 48.9% 10
2000s 40.4% 39.0% 42.0% 10
2010s 37.1% 35.6% 38.5% 10
2020s 39.2% 35.0% 42.1% 5

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 80 El Salvador 42.7% compare
  2. 81 France 42.5% compare
  3. 82 Bahrain 42.2% compare
  4. 84 Vietnam 41.0% compare
  5. 85 Cyprus 40.7% compare
  6. 86 Oman 40.5% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More work & labour data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate by age in Botswana?
Labor force participation rate by age in Botswana was 42.1% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 48.9% in 1990.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 35.0% in 2020.
How does Botswana rank for labor force participation rate by age?
Botswana ranks 83rd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate by age
Unit
%
Source
International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
195 places, 6,816 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).