Botswana:
Economy

Pages for other countries and territories

Other pages in this profile of Botswana:
Geography, People, Government, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Economy - overview	Definition Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006-07. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of nearly $15,000 in 2007. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity)	Definition - World rank and map $25.68 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)	Definition $12.31 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	Definition - World rank and map 5.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita	Definition - World rank and map $16,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	Definition agriculture: 1.6% industry: 51.5% (including 36% mining) services: 46.9% (2006 est.)
Labor force	Definition 288,400 formal sector employees (2004)
Labor force - by occupation	Definition agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate	Definition - World rank and map 7.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	Definition 30.3% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	Definition lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index	Definition - World rank and map 63 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	Definition - World rank and map 7.1% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)	Definition - World rank and map 18.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget	Definition revenues: $4.741 billion expenditures: $3.816 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt	Definition - World rank and map 5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	Definition livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
Industries	Definition diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate	Definition - World rank and map 5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production	Definition - World rank and map 912 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption	Definition - World rank and map 2.602 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption per capita	Definition - World rank and map 1,412.4 kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	Definition 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	Definition 1.754 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production	Definition - World rank and map 0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption	Definition - World rank and map 12,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption per 1,000 people	Definition - World rank and map 6.5 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports	Definition - World rank and map 0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports	Definition - World rank and map 13,490 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves	Definition - World rank and map 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption per capita	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves	Definition - World rank and map 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance	Definition - World rank and map $2.074 billion (2007 est.)
Exports	Definition - World rank and map $5.025 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities	Definition diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
Exports - partners	Definition European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)
Imports	Definition - World rank and map $3.403 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities	Definition foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products
Imports - partners	Definition Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold	Definition - World rank and map $9.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external	Definition - World rank and map $408 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares	Definition $3.947 billion (2006)
Economic aid - recipient	Definition $70.89 million (2005)
Currency (code)	Definition pula (BWP)
Exchange rates	Definition pulas per US dollar - 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003)
Fiscal year	Definition 1 April - 31 March

Botswana: Economy

Botswana:
Economy