Botswana: Goods imports (current US$, BoP)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Botswana's goods imports (current US$, BoP) fell 11.2% on 2024 (from US$6.9 billion to US$6.13 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +6.8% and a typical year strayed about 17.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 49.9% in 1979 and the biggest yearly fall was 20.1% in 2023. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 19% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Botswana had the 112th highest value of the 136 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Botswana in the 2025 ranking

• Sudan — 109th of 136: US$6.69 billion
• Brunei Darussalam — 110th of 136: US$6.28 billion
• Jamaica — 111th of 136: US$6.21 billion
• Montenegro — 113th of 136: US$4.91 billion
• Madagascar — 114th of 136: US$4.52 billion
• Malawi — 115th of 136: US$3.47 billion

What this measures

Imports of goods occur when there are changes in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 51 values

Goods imports (current US$, BoP) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$15.52 billion (2025)
• Benin — US$4.65 billion (2023)
• Burkina Faso — US$5.82 billion (2024)
• Burundi — US$1.1 billion (2025)
• Cabo Verde — US$1.29 billion (2025)
• Cameroon — US$7.77 billion (2024)
• Comoros — US$298.67 million (2023)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — US$32.96 billion (2025)
• Congo, Rep. — US$2.78 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire — US$15.34 billion (2024)
• Eswatini

More economic policy & debt data for Botswana

• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$6.27 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 84.72 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 31.48% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$9.12 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 123.17 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 45.77% (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$15.4 billion (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 207.88 billion (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Botswana's goods imports (current US$, BoP)?

US$6.13 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1975?

It is up 3,281% from US$181.2 million in 1975 (7.3% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$8.1 billion in 2013 and the lowest US$180.21 million in 1976.

How does Botswana rank?

112th highest of 136 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in goods imports (current US$, BoP) unusual for Botswana?

In 2025, Botswana's goods imports (current US$, BoP) fell 11.2% on 2024 (from US$6.9 billion to US$6.13 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +6.8% and a typical year strayed about 17.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator BM.GSR.MRCH.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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