Imports of goods and services in Botswana: 37.5% (Imports, 2025 · 104th of 176). Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Botswana: 37.5% in 2025, ranking 104th of 176 countries. In 2010 it was 52.5%.
Data last updated · Period: 2010–2025
Understanding the chart
The line chart above tracks imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Botswana for each year from 2010 to 2025, 16 data points in all. Each dot is one year; the first and last years and the highest point are labelled with their values, and the vertical scale is in % of gdp. All values in this period were above zero. The data table below the chart lists every value, and you can download the data, embed the chart or share it from the buttons above. The figures cover 2010–2025 and come from World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).
Key insights
- Between 2010 and 2025, Botswana's imports fell from 52.5% to 37.5%, a fall of 15.0 percentage points.
- The highest value in this period was 64.4% in 2013; the lowest was 37.2% in 2023.
- Recently, the figure has moved up and down over the last three years (2024: 42.4%; 2025: 37.5%).
- That is 9.0 percentage points above the world figure of 28.5%.
- Botswana has the 104th-highest value of 176 countries with recent data.
- In Southern Africa, Botswana has the 4th-highest value of 5 countries with recent data; the highest is Lesotho (104.5%), and the typical (median) value is 53.7%.
Analysis
Averaged over periods, the figure was 58.7% in 2010 to 2014, 46.8% in 2015 to 2019 and 43.0% in 2020 onwards. The value went up in 9 of the 15 year-to-year steps and down in 6. The biggest one-year rise came in 2012 (+9.0 percentage points). The biggest one-year fall came in 2016 (−14.0 percentage points). Year to year, the figure typically varied by about 9.0 percentage points around its average of 49.1%, a volatile pattern.
Botswana and its neighbours
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) among 5 countries in Southern Africa with recent data, ranked from highest to lowest.
| Rank in region | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesotho | 104.5% | 2025 |
| 2 | Namibia | 63.9% | 2025 |
| 3 | Eswatini | 53.7% | 2024 |
| 4 | Botswana | 37.5% | 2025 |
| 5 | South Africa | 29.5% | 2025 |
Botswana on related measures
- Exports of goods and services (% of GDP): 32.0% (2025, 100th-highest of 176 countries)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (US$): $467.3 million (2024, 122nd-highest of 198 countries)
- Personal remittances received (US$): $128.3 million (2024, 143rd-highest of 176 countries)
- GDP per person (current US$): $7,778 (2025, 111th-highest of 204 countries)
- GDP growth (annual %): -0.7% (2025, 193rd-highest of 204 countries)
Global position: Botswana's figure is higher than 41% of the 176 countries with data for this measure.
What it means
For businesses and investors, the figure is most useful alongside related measures for the same country, such as growth, inflation, population and incomes, and compared with similar countries. Compared with its neighbours in Southern Africa, where the typical value is 53.7%, Botswana is 16.2 percentage points lower.
About this statistic
The value of goods and services bought from other countries, as a share of GDP. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.
For the full definition, caveats and every country ranked, see Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) by country, 2025.
Questions and answers
What is the imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Botswana?
37.5% (Imports, 2025 · 104th of 176). Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Botswana: 37.5% in 2025, ranking 104th of 176 countries. In 2010 it was 52.5%.
How has imports in Botswana changed since 2010?
Between 2010 and 2025, Botswana's imports fell from 52.5% to 37.5%, a fall of 15.0 percentage points. The highest value in this period was 64.4% in 2013; the lowest was 37.2% in 2023.
How this page was made
Generated by Advanton from World Bank, World Development Indicators (2010–2025), data updated 8 November 2026: chart, ranks, comparisons and text are computed from the published figures; no figures are changed. About the data.
Data
| Year | Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.5% |
| 2011 | 54.7% |
| 2012 | 63.8% |
| 2013 | 64.4% |
| 2014 | 58.2% |
| 2015 | 59.8% |
| 2016 | 45.9% |
| 2017 | 39.0% |
| 2018 | 43.2% |
| 2019 | 46.0% |
| 2020 | 49.1% |
| 2021 | 49.3% |
| 2022 | 42.6% |
| 2023 | 37.2% |
| 2024 | 42.4% |
| 2025 | 37.5% |
Source and notes
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Period: 2010–2025. Coverage: Botswana.
The value of goods and services bought from other countries, as a share of GDP. A high share means many products are sourced abroad, which can create openings for local alternatives and for importers.
Cite this statistic
Please also credit the original source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).Related statistics
- Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) by country, 2025
- Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Lesotho, 2010–2025
- Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Namibia, 2010–2025
- Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Eswatini, 2013–2024
- Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in South Africa, 2010–2025
- GDP of Botswana, 2010–2025
- Economic growth (GDP growth) in Botswana, 2010–2025
- GDP per person in Botswana, 2010–2025
- GDP per person, adjusted for prices (PPP, international $) in Botswana, 2010–2024
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