Xifres de comerç exterior de Botswana

Foreign Trade in Figures

Botswana has made significant efforts to open up to international trade and strengthen its integration in the region, despite its geographical position. According to the World Bank, international trade accounts for around 69% of the country's GDP. Diamonds represented 78.8% of the country’s total exports in 2023, while other significant exports included copper (9.28%), insulated wires (2.8%), carbonates (1%), and bovine animals (1.2%). Conversely, imports were led by petroleum oils (17.6%), diamonds (14.8%), motor cars and other motor vehicles (2.6%), waters including mineral and aerated (2.5%), and electrical energy (2.4% - data Comtrade). The country is heavily dependent on electricity imports, as it only produces 60% of its needs domestically. Moreover, Botswana’s trade balance is highly dependent on global prices and demand for diamonds.

In terms of countries, the main export partners in 2023 were the United Arab Emirates (29.8%), Belgium (17.9%), India (12.3%), South Africa (11.9%), and China (6.4%), whereas imports came chiefly from South Africa (65.0%), Namibia (7.7%), Canada (4.9%), China (3.3%), and India (2.7% - data Comtrade). The country is a member of several regional and foreign trade organizations like the WTO, the SACU (Southern African Customs Union), and the SADC (Southern African Development Community), and has signed trade agreements with the European Union and the United States.

According to the last available data from the WTO, Botswana exported USD 5.4 billion worth of goods in 2023, while its goods imports reached almost USD 6.4 billion. Overall, imports decreased by 20.9% compared to the previous year, while exports declined at a faster pace (34.7%), amid a lower global demand for diamonds. As for services, the country imported USD 801 million and exported USD 576 million. The country’s trade balance fluctuates according to diamond prices and was estimated to be negative by 4.3% of GDP in 2023 by the World Bank (compared to a deficit of 1.5% one year earlier). According to preliminary figures from Statistics Botswana, the country exported BWP 59.6 billion in 2024, marking a 23.3% drop year-on-year. In the same year, imports totalled BWP 92.6 billion (+9.8%).