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2023
Economic Complexity
Trade -0.41Rank 80 of 132
2022
Economic Complexity
Research -1.13Rank 130 of 140
2023
Product
Exports | Imports $6.59B | $6.61B122 of 226 |  132 of 226
2023
Per Capita Product
Exports | Imports $2.66k | $2.67k86 of 220 |  117 of 220

About

Overview In 2023, Botswana was the number 125 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 122 in total exports, the number 132 in total imports, the number 99 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 80 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) .

Exports The top exports of Botswana are Diamonds ($5.33B), Copper Ore ($573M), Insulated Wire ($156M), Carbonates ($62.4M), and Bovine ($50.3M), exporting mostly to United Arab Emirates ($1.81B), India ($1.15B), Belgium ($1.08B), South Africa ($548M), and United States ($459M).

Imports The top imports of Botswana are Refined Petroleum ($1.08B), Diamonds ($1.08B), Cars ($170M), Flavored Water ($158M), and Electricity ($156M), importing mostly from South Africa ($4.28B), Namibia ($504M), Canada ($314M), China ($228M), and India ($177M).

Location Botswana borders Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe by land.

Latest Trends

Latest Trade

Flow
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Y-AXIS SCALE

The following section uses the most recent trade data from partners of Botswana.

Disclaimer: data is presented based on availability and only countries that use the harmonized system are being shown.

* Trade values are converted to USD using each month's exchange rate. For December 2023 data, the exchange rate from December 30, 2023 is used.

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Latest Data

Flow
Color
Depth

The data obtained is mirror data. The trade of countries that do not report current data can be reconstructed based on data reported by partner countries with current data available.

*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.

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Historical Data

Yearly Trade

Flow
Color
Depth
Top Export (2023)Diamonds$5.33B
Top Destination (2023)United Arab Emirates$1.81B

In 2023, Botswana exported a total of $6.59B, making it the number 122 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Botswana have changed by -$338M from $6.92B in 2018 to $6.59B in 2023.

The most recent exports are led by Diamonds ($5.33B), Copper Ore ($573M), Insulated Wire ($156M), Carbonates ($62.4M), and Bovine ($50.3M). The most common destination for the exports of Botswana are United Arab Emirates ($1.81B), India ($1.15B), Belgium ($1.08B), South Africa ($548M), and United States ($459M).

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Exports (2023)
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Destinations (2023)
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Market Growth

Flow
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Growth
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2022 - 2023)
India$665M (+ 137%)
United States$256M (+ 126%)
China$112M (+ 34.5%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2022 - 2023)
Zambia$67.9M (+ 104%)
Mozambique$44.7M (+ 82.6%)
Canada$19.3M (+ 6.56%)

Total Export Growth by Market (2022 - 2023)

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

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Service Trade

Service Trade

Botswana Exports Services (2019)$924M
Botswana Imports Services (2019)$1.17B

In 2019, Botswana exported $924M worth of services. The top services exported by Botswana in 2019 were Personal travel ($568M), Other business services ($152M), Transportation ($53.1M), Government services, n.i.e. ($41.8M), and Financial services ($38.8M).

The top services imported by Botswana in 2019 were Other business services ($262M), Transportation ($260M), Personal travel ($227M), Government services, n.i.e. ($144M), and Royalties and license fees ($106M).

Service Exports (2019)

Service Imports (2019)

Economic Complexity

Overview

Economic Complexity (Trade)-0.41Rank 80 of 132
Economic Complexity (Research)-1.13Rank 130 of 140

Most Specialized Products by RCA Index

Botswana has a high level of specialization in Diamonds (186), Salt (24), Copper Ore (20.7), Bovine (15.8), and Scrap Lead (15.3). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Botswana observed and expected exports in each product.

Most Complex Products by PCI

The highest complexity exports of Botswana according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Railway or tramway locomotives or rolling stock; parts thereof (0.73), Cement, concrete or artificial stone; whether or not reinforced, articles thereof (0.46), Tubes, pipes and hoses and fittings thereof (for example, joints, elbows, flanges),... (0.15), Synthetic, reconstructed precious, semi-precious stone worked, graded or not, not strung or... (-0.027), and Slag, ash and residues; (not from the manufacture of iron or steel)... (-0.086). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.

Export Opportunities by Relatedness

The top export opportunities for Botswana according to the relatedness index, were Gold (0.053), Tin Ores (0.051), Other Mineral (0.048), Raw Cotton (0.048), and Other Oily Seeds (0.047). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Botswana is not specialized in.

Product Space

The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products a country currently specializes in.

Relatedness Space

This network shows the products most related to the production structure of Botswana. These are products that tend to be co-exported with the products that Botswana exports. Higher relatedness values ​​indicate greater knowledge, which predicts a greater probability of exporting that product in the future.

Relatedness Space (2023)

Diversification Frontier

Filter
Depth

The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower greenhouse emissions.

Diversification Frontier

Economic Complexity Ranking

Methodology
Scale

During the last 20 years Botswana's⁩ ⁨economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the ⁩⁨78th to the 80th⁩ position in the ECI rank.

These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.

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ECI (Trade) Ranking by Country

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