Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana
Botswana: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 22.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana, 1985–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2024, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana stood at 22.5%. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
The figure is up 12.4% on the previous year and up 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana peaked at 22.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 1991.
Botswana ranks 4th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 19.7% | — |
| 1991 | 11.7% | -40.7% |
| 1994 | 19.7% | +68.7% |
| 1996 | 19.5% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 18.6% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 14.8% | -20.7% |
| 2001 | 16.4% | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +30.9% |
| 2006 | 15.6% | -27.2% |
| 2009 | 13.0% | -16.8% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | +12.2% |
| 2011 | 18.0% | +23.4% |
| 2013 | 17.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 18.3% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 19.5% | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 20.2% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 21.4% | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 20.0% | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 22.5% | +12.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.7% | 19.7% | 19.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 17.4% | 11.7% | 19.7% | 4 |
| 2000s | 16.3% | 13.0% | 21.5% | 5 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 14.6% | 18.3% | 4 |
| 2020s | 20.7% | 19.5% | 22.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 1 Eswatini 31.8% compare
- 2 South Africa 30.4% compare
- 3 Palestine, State of 28.5% compare
- 5 Namibia 21.1% compare
- 6 French Polynesia 21.1% compare
- 7 Curaçao 17.6% compare
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 unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Botswana was 22.5% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 22.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 1991.
- How does Botswana rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Botswana ranks 4th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.