SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Botswana

Botswana: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) was 28 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
28
Change on year
up 5.3%
World rank
1st
of 74 countries
All-time high
28
in 2024
All-time low
22.41
in 2019
Years of data
6
2019–2024

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Botswana, 2019–2024

01020302019202120242019: 22.42020: 24.72021: 26.62022: 26.12023: 26.62024: 28

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2024, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Botswana stood at 28. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

The figure is up 5.3% on the previous year and up 24.9% over ten years.

Botswana ranks 1st of 74 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+) in Botswana, 2019 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2019 22.41
2020 24.71 +10.3%
2021 26.55 +7.5%
2022 26.06 -1.8%
2023 26.6 +2.1%
2024 28 +5.3%

Botswana compared with similar countries

  • Botswana's 28 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.07, 4.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
  • Botswana's 28 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.65, 2.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 22.41 22.41 22.41 1
2020s 26.39 24.71 28 5

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 2 Zimbabwe 24.46 compare
  2. 3 Jordan 16.81 compare
  3. 4 Armenia 13.4 compare

See the full ranking of 74 places →

More work & labour data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Botswana?
Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) in Botswana was 28 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 28 in 2024.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 22.41 in 2019.
How does Botswana rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition)?
Botswana ranks 1st out of 74 countries with data for 2024.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).

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SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-current-ilo-definition-icls19-15/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
74 places, 744 data points, 2014–2025
Last refreshed

Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.