Botswana Economy 1997

Economy - overview Agriculture still provides a livelihood for more than 80% of the populationbut supplies only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 4% of GDP.Subsistence farming and cattle raising predominate. The sector is plaguedby erratic rainfall and poor soils. Substantial mineral deposits were foundin the 1970s and the mining sector grew from 25% of GDP in 1980 to 33% in1995. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 21%. On the plus side is the substantial positive trade balance.

GDP purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 5% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,100 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 4%
industry: 43%
services : 53% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index 9.8% (1996 est.)

Labor force
total : 428,000 (1992)
by occupation: 220,000 formal sector employees, including 14,300 who are employed invarious mines in South Africa; most others are engaged in cattle raising andsubsistence agriculture (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate 21% (1995 est.)

Budget
revenues : $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $613 million (FY95/96)

Industries diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing

Industrial production growth rate 4.6% (FY92/93)

Electricity - capacity 197,000 kW (1993)

Electricity - production 950 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita 747 kWh (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas,sunflower seed; livestock

Exports
total value: $2.1 billion (f.o.b. 1995 est.)
commodities: diamonds 71%, copper and nickel 5%, meat 3%
partners: Europe 81%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 14%, Zimbabwe 3%

Imports
total value: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 78%, Europe 8%, Zimbabwe 6%

Debt - external $691 million (1994)

Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $189 million (1993)

Currency 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Exchange rates pula (P) per US$1 - 3.6417 (January 1997), 3.3014 (1996), 2.7716 (1995),2.6831 (1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992)

Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March

NOTE: The information regarding Botswana on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Botswana Economy 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Botswana Economy 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.