Botswana's merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) was US$5.89 billion in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 37.47% from US$9.42 billion in 2013 (4.59% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | US$5.89 billion | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | US$6.15 billion | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | US$9.42 billion | 2013 |
| Highest | US$10.29 billion | 2012 |
| Lowest | US$1.81 billion | 2001 |
| Average since 2014 | US$6.79 billion | 2014–2023 |
| First recorded | US$2.07 billion |
What the numbers say
In 2023, Botswana's merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) fell 20.5% on 2022 (from US$7.41 billion to US$5.89 billion).
Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +8.6% and a typical year strayed about 26.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 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 85.1% in 2002 and the biggest yearly fall was 24.1% in 2016. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 15% 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 2023, Botswana had the 131st highest value of the 205 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.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | US$5.89 billion | 2023 |
| World | US$23.45 trillion | 2023 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | US$467.85 billion | 2023 |
| Upper middle income | US$5.94 trillion | 2023 |
Closest to Botswana in the 2023 ranking
- Kosovo — 128th of 205: US$6.45 billion
- Papua New Guinea — 129th of 205: US$6.32 billion
- Congo, Rep. — 130th of 205: US$5.96 billion
- Burkina Faso — 132nd of 205: US$5.88 billion
- Brunei Darussalam — 133rd of 205: US$5.69 billion
- Lao PDR — 134th of 205: US$5.47 billion
What this measures
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 24 values
| Year | Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 5,888,884,627 |
| 2022 | 7,406,881,905 |
| 2021 | 7,467,738,674 |
| 2020 | 6,006,635,300 |
| 2019 | 6,337,672,465 |
| 2018 | 6,152,642,132 |
| 2017 | 5,334,877,266 |
| 2016 | 6,102,611,179 |
| 2015 | 8,042,790,156 |
| 2014 | 9,148,629,674 |
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) in nearby economies
- Angola — US$15.69 billion (2023)
- Benin — US$3.91 billion (2023)
- Burkina Faso — US$5.88 billion (2023)
- Burundi — US$959.12 million (2023)
- Cabo Verde — US$1.74 billion (2023)
- Cameroon — US$8.62 billion (2023)
- Central African Republic — US$736.21 million (2023)
- Chad — US$1.39 billion (2023)
- Comoros — US$354.4 million (2023)
More private sector & trade data for Botswana
- Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 57.78% (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$6.4 billion (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$5.12 billion (2025)
- Insurance and financial services (% of commercial service imports) — 0.57% (2025)
- Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 64.52% (2025)
- Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$1.3 billion (2025)
- Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 25.54% (2025)
- Travel services (% of commercial service imports) — 9.37% (2025)
- Insurance and financial services (% of commercial service exports)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Botswana's merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$)?
- US$5.89 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 2000?
- It is up 184% from US$2.07 billion in 2000 (4.64% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$10.29 billion in 2012 and the lowest US$1.81 billion in 2001.
- How does Botswana rank?
- 131st highest of 205 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) unusual for Botswana?
- In 2023, Botswana's merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) fell 20.5% on 2022 (from US$7.41 billion to US$5.89 billion). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +8.6% and a typical year strayed about 26.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 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 TM.VAL.MRCH.WL.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB); Direction of Trade database, 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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