Botswana vs South Africa: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Botswana
24.4%
in 2024
South Africa
32.3%
in 2024
Botswana rank
4th
South Africa rank
2nd
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates over time
- Botswana
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.3% against 24.4% in Botswana, a difference of 7.9%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Botswana's.
Across all 15 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Botswana ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 185 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.9% | 25.0% | 4.1% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 18.6% | 28.9% | 10.3% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 19.5% | 25.6% | 6.1% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 23.1% | 32.2% | 9.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates, Botswana or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32.3% against 24.4% in Botswana as of 2024.
- What is the difference in unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates between Botswana and South Africa?
- 7.9%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2024.
- How do Botswana and South Africa rank globally for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Botswana ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 2nd of 185 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.