Labor force participation rate in Botswana
Botswana: Labor force participation rate was 68.8 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
68.8
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
32nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
68.8
in 2025
All-time low
58.6
in 2000
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Botswana, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Botswana is 68.8, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Botswana peaked at 68.8 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 58.6, in 2000.
That places Botswana 32nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.61 | — |
| 1991 | 62.35 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 62.14 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 61.94 | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 61.65 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 61.29 | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 60.89 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 60.46 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 60.12 | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 59.38 | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 58.6 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 58.82 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 59.01 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 59.2 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 59.42 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 59.66 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 59.89 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 60.85 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 61.78 | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 62.68 | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 59.86 | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 60.57 | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 61.17 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 61.59 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 61.92 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 62.19 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 62.46 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 62.77 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 63.11 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 63.48 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 61.3 | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 63.99 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 64.62 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 68.28 | +5.7% |
| 2024 | 68.57 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 68.8 | +0.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 68.8 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.51, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 68.8 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.31, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.28 | 59.38 | 62.61 | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.99 | 58.6 | 62.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.91 | 59.86 | 63.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.93 | 61.3 | 68.8 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More work & labour data for Botswana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.146 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1401 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9387 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 2,871 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 550.66 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,969 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,837 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Botswana?
- Labor force participation rate in Botswana was 68.8 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 68.8 in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.6 in 2000.
- How does Botswana rank for labor force participation rate?
- Botswana ranks 32nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).