Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana

Botswana: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 24.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
24.4%
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
4th
of 185 countries
All-time high
25.7%
in 1985
All-time low
13.8%
in 1991
Years of data
19
1985–2024

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana, 1985–2024

01020301985200420241985: 25.7 %1991: 13.8 %1994: 21.2 %1996: 21.6 %1998: 20.9 %2000: 15.9 %2001: 19.6 %2003: 23.8 %2006: 17.8 %2009: 16.2 %2010: 17.9 %2011: 20 %2013: 20 %2019: 20.1 %2020: 21 %2021: 23.1 %2022: 23.6 %2023: 23.4 %2024: 24.4 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana is 24.4%, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 22.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana peaked at 25.7% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 13.8%, in 1991.

Botswana ranks 4th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 25.7% 25.7% 25.7% 1
1990s 19.4% 13.8% 21.6% 4
2000s 18.6% 15.9% 23.8% 5
2010s 19.5% 17.9% 20.1% 4
2020s 23.1% 21.0% 24.4% 5

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 1 Eswatini 34.3% compare
  2. 2 South Africa 32.3% compare
  3. 3 Palestine 28.7% compare
  4. 5 French Polynesia 21.8% compare
  5. 6 Namibia 19.9% compare
  6. 7 Curacao 19.1% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Botswana was 24.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 25.7% in 1985.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 13.8% in 1991.
How does Botswana rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Botswana ranks 4th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.