Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana
Botswana: Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 51.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana stood at 51.7%.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 36.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana peaked at 52.3% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 32.5%, in 1991.
Botswana ranks 7th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 32.5% | — |
| 1992 | 35.3% | +8.8% |
| 1993 | 38.0% | +7.5% |
| 1994 | 40.6% | +6.8% |
| 1995 | 40.9% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 41.2% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 42.0% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 43.5% | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 38.7% | -11.0% |
| 2000 | 34.2% | -11.7% |
| 2001 | 45.6% | +33.2% |
| 2002 | 49.2% | +8.1% |
| 2003 | 52.3% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 47.1% | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 42.3% | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | -11.8% |
| 2007 | 37.6% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 39.8% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 42.3% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 41.7% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 40.3% | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 39.4% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 38.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 37.9% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 37.2% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 36.4% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 35.0% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 34.3% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | +25.1% |
| 2021 | 49.1% | +14.5% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 50.0% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 51.1% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 51.7% | +1.2% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 51.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.7%, 2.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 51.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5%, 5.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +33.2% | 34.2% | 45.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.2% | 32.5% | 43.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.3% | 34.2% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.3% | 34.3% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.1% | 42.9% | 51.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 4 South Africa 64.1% compare
- 5 Eswatini 57.7% compare
- 6 Palestine, State of 56.6% compare
- 8 Syrian Arab Republic 50.9% compare
- 9 Haiti 47.9% compare
- 10 Algeria 45.0% 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, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana?
- Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Botswana was 51.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 52.3% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.5% in 1991.
- How does Botswana rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
- Botswana ranks 7th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.