Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Botswana

Botswana: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) 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

Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Botswana, 2019–2024

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

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) in Botswana is 28, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and up 24.9% over ten years.

That places Botswana 1st out of 74 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for 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 unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) in Botswana?
Unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) in Botswana was 28 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 28 in 2024.
What is the lowest unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 22.41 in 2019.
How does Botswana rank for unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19)?
Botswana ranks 1st out of 74 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment rate (current ilo definition - icls19) 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 Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-current-ilo-definition-icls19-15/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
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

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. 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 Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.