CountriesIndicatorsThis week
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026

Botswana

Botswana has 2.6 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $20 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of the oil it uses (EIA, 2024).

Written automatically from the figures on this page.

Population
2.6 m (2025)

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.

1

Dependencies at a glance

Botswana imports all of the oil it uses.

Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
ResourceDependencePositionMain partners
OilImports mostImports all of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, South Africa → Botswana as reported by the exporterSouth Africa
Natural gasUses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024No partner data from the source
WheatImports mostImports 99% of the wheat it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023South Africa, Poland
MaizeImports mostImports 95% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023South Africa
RiceNot reported by this source–
SoybeansNot reported by this source–
PotashImports mostImports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025No partner data from the source
PhosphateImports mostImports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025No partner data from the source
ArmsSupplier concentration onlyMain supplier: Israel, 35% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025Israel, Switzerland, United States
ChipsSupplier concentration onlyNot reported by this sourceUN Comtrade, 2025–

Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).

  • OilImports most

    Imports all of the oil it uses

    Main partners: South Africa

    EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, South Africa → Botswana as reported by the exporter

  • Natural gas

    Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    EIA, 2024

  • WheatImports most

    Imports 99% of the wheat it uses Estimate

    Main partners: South Africa, Poland

    FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023

  • MaizeImports most

    Imports 95% of the maize it uses

    Main partners: South Africa

    FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023

  • Rice

    Not reported by this source

  • Soybeans

    Not reported by this source

  • PotashImports most

    Imports all of its potash supply Estimate

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • PhosphateImports most

    Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • ArmsSupplier concentration only

    Main supplier: Israel, 35% of imports

    Main partners: Israel, Switzerland, United States

    SIPRI, 2021–2025

  • ChipsSupplier concentration only

    Not reported by this source

    UN Comtrade, 2025

Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRIyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Dependencies tool
2

Money and reserves

Botswana’s economy produced $20 bn in 2025.

GDP, 2000–2025

$0$5.0 bn$10 bn$15 bn$20 bn$25 bn200020052010201520202025

Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026

Economic growth−0.7%2025 · 179th of 186 · World Bank
Inflation2.7%2025 · 90th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment24.5%2025 · 4th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$3.46billion2024 · 109th of 164 · World Bank
Trade69% of GDP2024 · 105th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment in−US$649million2025 · 188th of 200 · World Bank
3

People

Botswana had 2.6 m people in 2025.

Population, 1950–2100

02.0 m4.0 m6.0 m195019701990200020102030205020702100Projection
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios

Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Botswana’s population by age

1950200020502100
MenWomen01020304050607080901000m00m
Millions of people in each five-year age group, men left and women right. Years after 2023 are UN projections (medium variant).

Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Births per woman2.732023 · 68th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age22.92023 · 175th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over4.1%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
4

Technology and space

Satellites owned in Botswana numbered 1 at the end of 2026.

Satellites in orbit12026 · 64th of 81 · Orbital data from CelesTrak
5

Climate and hazards

Botswana emitted 7.5 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.

Botswana’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024

0 Mt2 Mt4 Mt6 Mt8 Mt1990199520002005201020152024

Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026

CO2 emissions7Mt2024 · 121st of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person3.0t2024 · 111th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750184Mt2024 · 132nd of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress4.72023 · 13th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
6

More figures

Shown only where a source covers Botswana.

Refugees

868refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
1,173from it, abroad, 2025

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025

Sanctions

No entry on the US, EU or UK lists gives it as an address or nationality.

Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.

Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Chinese loans and grants

US$1.73billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021

Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021

Cyber incidents

2publicly known incidents affecting Botswana, 2000–2024

Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to

Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024

7

All figures

50 measures on this site have a recent figure for Botswana.

GDP$20 bn2025131st of 186World Bank
GDP per person$7,778202595th of 186World Bank
Economic growth−0.7%2025179th of 186World Bank
Inflation2.7%202590th of 169World Bank
Government debtEstimate2025148th of 191IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Government budget balanceEstimate2025167th of 195IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Current account balance3.1%202552nd of 194IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Unemployment24.5%20254th of 181World Bank
Reserves, including gold$3.5 bn2024109th of 164World Bank
Trade69%2024105th of 172World Bank
Foreign investment in−$649 m2025188th of 200World Bank
Remittances received0.7%2024120th of 162World Bank
Population2.6 m2025143rd of 216World Bank
Population with UN projections2.5 m2023146th of 237UN WPP 2024
Births per woman2.73202368th of 237UN WPP 2024
Median age22.92023175th of 237UN WPP 2024
Life expectancy69.22023178th of 237UN WPP 2024
Refugees from the country1,1732025123rd of 206UNHCR
Refugees and others needing protection, by host8682025138th of 176UNHCR
Refugees hosted per 1,000 people0.32025132nd of 176UNHCR
Crude oil production0 kb/d2025100th of 214EIA
Oil consumption23 kb/d2024139th of 212EIA
Natural gas productionPreliminary202497th of 213EIA
Natural gas consumption0.0 bcm2024126th of 213EIA
Electricity generated3 TWh2024135th of 193Ember
Low-carbon electricity0.3%2024184th of 193Ember
Electricity from coal98%20241st of 193Ember
Electricity from wind and solar0.3%2024166th of 193Ember
Wheat production0.0 Mt2024109th of 123FAOSTAT
Wheat imports0.1 Mt2024109th of 180FAOSTAT
Maize production0.0 Mt2024126th of 169FAOSTAT
Maize imports0.3 Mt202458th of 196FAOSTAT
Rice imports0.0 Mt2024108th of 197FAOSTAT
Soybean imports0.0 Mt202497th of 179FAOSTAT
Potash fertiliser use0.00 Mt2024120th of 199FAOSTAT
Phosphate fertiliser use0.00 Mt2024127th of 199FAOSTAT
CO2 emissions7 Mt2024121st of 214Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person3.0 t2024111th of 213Global Carbon Budget
CO2 emitted since 1750184 Mt2024132nd of 214Global Carbon Budget
Net CO2 imports through trade100%202311th of 120Global Carbon Budget
Water stress4.7202313th of 164WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
Water from abroad80%202313th of 193FAO AQUASTAT
Military spending, share of GDP3.1%202524th of 150World Bank
Military spending$614 m202594th of 150World Bank
Arms imports11 TIV m202489th of 117SIPRI
Satellites in orbit1202664th of 81Orbital data from CelesTrak
People using the internet57%2024139th of 182World Bank
ICT service exports$35 m2024122nd of 162World Bank
ICT service exports, share of service exports3.8%2024103rd of 162World Bank
Chinese loans and grants committed$4 m2021101st of 122AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0

Sources for this page

  • World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
  • IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
  • UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
  • UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
  • U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
  • Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
  • FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice imports, Soybean imports, …
  • Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
  • WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
  • FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
  • SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
  • CelesTrak SATCATSatellites in orbit
  • AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
  • US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions
  • EU financial sanctions listSanctions
  • UK Sanctions ListSanctions
  • EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents

Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure

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