Botswana profile

Demography and Health

Botswana has a relatively small population, about 2.52 million people in 2024, which supports a manageable but still complex planning horizon for public services. The country’s demographic dynamics show a birth rate of 24.7 per 1,000 people (2023) and a crude death rate of 5.72 per 1,000, contributing to a young-to-middle-aged age structure that can sustain growth if jobs and services keep pace. Life expectancy at birth is 69.2 years (2023), indicating notable health progress but still room for improvement relative to many higher-income economies. Under-5 mortality is 39.6 per 1,000 live births (2023), highlighting ongoing child health challenges that require continued investment in primary care, nutrition, and maternal services. Botswana also experiences a negative net migration of about 5,778 people in 2024, suggesting out-migration that could affect the labor force and skills retention over time. The health system features 0.378 physicians per 1,000 people (2022) and 2.22 hospital beds per 1,000 (2021), underscoring a relatively lean health workforce and infrastructure base. Health expenditure is 5.73% of GDP (2022), with domestic general government health expenditure per capita, PPP, at about 850 International US dollars (2022), indicating substantial public investment but limited per-capita capacity. Food security remains a concern, with 24.3% of the population undernourished (2022). Despite these gaps, Botswana benefits from broad internet access—81.4% of the population using the Internet (2023)—which offers a path for information campaigns, telemedicine, and digital health expansion to reach underserved communities.

Economy

Botswana’s economy sits at an upper-middle-income level with a GDP per capita of 7,695 current US$ (2024) and 20,538 in PPP terms, signaling relatively solid living standards by regional standards though still short of many advanced economies. The export structure shows goods and services exports at 26.0% of GDP (2024) and imports at 40.9% of GDP (2024), indicating a trade pattern that relies on external supplies for consumption and production, and suggesting vulnerability to global demand and commodity price swings. The current account balance stands at a small deficit of −0.6% of GDP (2023), reflecting import intensity and external financing dynamics without a large external imbalance. Inflation remains modest at 2.82% (2024), supporting price stability and predictable planning for households and firms. Unemployment is high at 23.4% (2023), pointing to structural labor-market constraints that dampen domestic demand and social outcomes despite macro stability. The economy shows limited innovation infrastructure, with resident patent applications at 3 (2021) and high-technology exports totaling about 25.6 million USD (2023), indicating early-stage tech activity and potential for growth in knowledge-intensive sectors. Foreign direct investment net inflows are 3.43% of GDP (2023), signaling steady, though not exuberant, foreign capital participation in Botswana’s development. The logistics landscape is relatively strong, with a Logistics Performance Index of 3.1 and a high rank of 15 (2022), reflecting efficient trade and transport capabilities that support export competitiveness and regional integration. Renewable energy accounts for 27.4% of total final energy consumption (2021), illustrating ongoing diversification of the energy mix. Overall, Botswana’s economy blends a stable macro framework with a need for diversification, job creation, and continued investment in skills and innovation to translate natural-resource wealth into broad-based prosperity.

Trade and Investment

The trade and investment profile of Botswana reveals openness with a modest but meaningful role for foreign capital. Exports of goods and services account for 26.0% of GDP (2024), while imports represent 40.9% of GDP (2024), indicating a net import orientation for many consumer and intermediate goods alongside export activity. Foreign direct investment net inflows amount to 3.43% of GDP (2023), signaling a steady but not dramatic level of external funding supporting growth and modernization. The current account balance sits at −0.6% of GDP (2023), a manageable deficit that reflects import intensity and energy dynamics without a severe external pressure. Botswana’s high-technology exports are relatively modest (about 25.6 million USD in 2023), and resident patent activity is low (3 applications in 2021), suggesting room to grow a knowledge-based export sector and a more vibrant domestic R&D ecosystem. The country maintains competitive logistics, with a Logistics Performance Index of 3.1 and a top-15 global ranking (2022), which helps reduce trade costs and improve integration with neighboring markets and global supply chains. Governance indicators affecting business—Regulatory Quality at 0.497 and Rule of Law at 0.39—signal a regulatory environment with potential, but also clear areas for reform to streamline licensing, contract enforcement, and dispute resolution. Control of Corruption at 0.686 and Government Effectiveness at 0.431 further illustrate a governance landscape that is stable but wields uneven policy implementation. Taken together, Botswana presents a credible platform for trade and investment, anchored by solid logistics, a stable macro backdrop, and ongoing needs to diversify production, elevate local innovation, and deepen domestic markets to maximize the returns of international engagement.

Governance and Institutions

Botswana’s governance profile blends political stability with mixed governance indicators that point to both strengths and vulnerabilities. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism score 1.04 (2023), signaling a relatively stable political environment with low risk of systemic disruption. Control of corruption is 0.686 (2023), suggesting relatively effective anti-corruption measures by regional standards and a functioning, if not flawless, public sector. Government effectiveness is 0.431, indicating moderate administrative capacity and policy execution. Regulatory quality is 0.497, pointing to room for improvement in how regulations are designed and implemented to support growth, competition, and social protection. The Rule of Law score of 0.39 highlights ongoing concerns around enforcement mechanisms and judicial independence that can influence business confidence, investor protections, and timely dispute resolution. Together, these governance indicators suggest a country with a generally stable and predictable political framework, capable public institutions, and a governance gap that centers on strengthening the legal environment, regulatory coherence, and rule-of-law execution. The positive governance basis is complemented by a strong logistics ecosystem (LPI 3.1, rank 15), which enhances policy credibility and program delivery. Achieving more inclusive growth will require targeted reforms to improve transparency, strengthen social protections, and ensure that governance and public service reforms translate into tangible benefits for all citizens.

Infrastructure and Technology

Botswana demonstrates a capable and progressively integrated infrastructure and technology profile. The Logistics Performance Index of 3.1 (2022) with a high rank of 15 indicates relatively high-quality trade and transport-related infrastructure, supporting efficient cross-border activity and regional market access. Internet penetration is strong, with 81.4% of the population online in 2023, suggesting extensive digital connectivity that can underpin e-government, digital finance, and telecommunication-enabled service delivery. Health infrastructure is more modest: 2.22 hospital beds per 1,000 people (2021) and 0.378 physicians per 1,000 (2022), with domestic health expenditure per capita, PPP at about 850 International US dollars (2022), implying substantial public investment but a lean health workforce capable of constraining service delivery scale and quality. The energy mix shows renewable energy comprising 27.4% of total final energy consumption (2021), signaling a meaningful pivot toward cleaner energy and climate resilience, though the country still relies on conventional energy sources. Botswana’s innovation capacity remains limited in direct indicators: high-technology exports are around 25.6 million USD (2023), and patent activity by residents is modest (3 applications in 2021). This profile points to a solid foundational infrastructure and digital access, with clear opportunities to strengthen R&D, broaden technology adoption in public services, and expand productive capacities in science and engineering to diversify growth beyond traditional sectors. The data also allude to vulnerability in water resources and potential climate-related infrastructure needs, underscoring the importance of water security and climate adaptation in planning infrastructure investment.

Environment and Sustainability

Botswana’s environmental and sustainability indicators reveal progress alongside structural challenges. Renewable energy constitutes 27.4% of total final energy consumption (2021), marking a meaningful shift toward cleaner energy within a resource-constrained and arid region. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita stand at 5.13 t CO2e (2023), which is relatively modest by global standards but rises with economic activity, underscoring the need for ongoing decarbonization and energy efficiency. Water stress indicators—level of freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available resources—register at 2.44 (2021) in the dataset, signaling vulnerability to drought and climate variability typical of a semi-arid environment, and reinforcing the priority of sustainable water management, conservation, and climate adaptation. The prevalence of undernourishment affects 24.3% of the population (2022), highlighting food-security and nutrition challenges that intersect with climate risk, agricultural policy, and social protection. Population growth and income gains could exacerbate pressure on ecosystems if resilience and adaptation measures lag. On the positive side, Botswana’s governance framework appears supportive of environmental policy (with governance indicators providing a stable enabling context), and the country’s energy transition, water security investments, and nutrition programs will be crucial for sustaining inclusive growth. Overall, Botswana’s environment and sustainability trajectory suggests a path toward cleaner energy and climate resilience, while requiring intensified investments in water security, agricultural productivity, and social protection to mitigate vulnerability and advance sustainable development for all.