Unemployment rate in Botswana
Botswana: Unemployment rate was 24.48 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
24.48
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
4th
of 186 countries
All-time high
24.48
in 2025
All-time low
13.82
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Botswana, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Botswana is 24.48, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Botswana peaked at 24.48 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.82, in 1991.
That places Botswana 4th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.82 | — |
| 1992 | 16.33 | +18.2% |
| 1993 | 18.76 | +14.9% |
| 1994 | 21.2 | +13.0% |
| 1995 | 21.39 | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 21.59 | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 21.03 | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 20.86 | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 18.22 | -12.6% |
| 2000 | 15.88 | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 18.54 | +16.8% |
| 2002 | 21.28 | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 23.8 | +11.9% |
| 2004 | 21.75 | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 19.85 | -8.7% |
| 2006 | 17.78 | -10.4% |
| 2007 | 16.98 | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 16.29 | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 16.17 | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 17.86 | +10.5% |
| 2011 | 18.05 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 17.92 | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 18.17 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 18.48 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 18.91 | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 19.33 | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 19.67 | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 19.66 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.09 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 21.02 | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 23.11 | +9.9% |
| 2022 | 23.61 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 23.38 | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 23.81 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 24.48 | +2.8% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 24.48 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.63, 4.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 24.48 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.45, 4.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.25 | 13.82 | 21.59 | 9 |
| 2000s | 18.83 | 15.88 | 23.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.81 | 17.86 | 20.09 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.23 | 21.02 | 24.48 | 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 unemployment rate in Botswana?
- Unemployment rate in Botswana was 24.48 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 24.48 in 2025.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.82 in 1991.
- How does Botswana rank for unemployment rate?
- Botswana ranks 4th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).