Botswana Current Account Balance
Current account balance as % of GDP BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS
Botswana's current account balance was -7.60% in 2025, ranked 158th globally. This represents a 79.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1975–2025.
Overview
Botswana's current account balance stood at -7.60% in 2025, a decline of +3.37% from 2024. The IMF projects -7.60% by 2025. Botswana ranked 158th globally.
Botswana’s current‑account balance has remained persistently negative over the 51‑year series, with the 2025 deficit recorded at –7.60 percent of GDP, ranking 158th globally. The balance swung dramatically in the 1980s, reaching an all‑time trough of –28.28 percent in 1981 before rebounding to a peak of 31.98 percent in 1987, a period that coincided with the rapid expansion of diamond mining and related export earnings. Since that high, the surplus turned into a chronic deficit, reflecting a reliance on primary commodity exports, limited diversification and periodic fiscal pressures. Botswana’s –7.60 percent figure is closely aligned with peers such as the Bahamas (–7.58) and Fiji (–7.50), indicating a similar magnitude of external imbalance among small, open economies. The trajectory suggests that without substantial progress in value‑added processing, tourism development or services export growth, the current‑account deficit is likely to persist, although a strategic shift toward diversified export sectors could gradually narrow the gap.
Data & projection
| Year | Current Account Balance | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2030* IMF | -1.09% | - | - |
| 2029* IMF | -1.86% | - | - |
| 2028* IMF | -2.91% | - | - |
| 2027* IMF | -4.49% | - | - |
| 2026* IMF | -5.92% | - | - |
| 2025* IMF | -7.60% | - | - |
| 2025 | -7.60% | −3.37% | #158 |
| 2024 | -4.23% | −5.72% | #56 |
| 2023 | 1.49% | +2.08% | #130 |
| 2022 | -0.60% | +1.17% | #123 |
| 2021 | -1.76% | +8.06% | #100 |
| 2020 | -9.81% | −2.89% | #36 |
| 2019 | -6.91% | −7.30% | #46 |
| 2018 | 0.39% | −5.19% | #134 |
| 2017 | 5.59% | −2.39% | #171 |
| 2016 | 7.97% | +5.75% | #183 |
| 2015 | 2.23% | −8.85% | #153 |
| 2014 | 11.08% | +6.54% | #179 |
| 2013 | 4.53% | +10.43% | #164 |
| 2012 | -5.90% | −5.03% | #71 |
| 2011 | -0.87% | +5.02% | #130 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Botswana matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw current account balance improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Botswana's current account balance was -7.60% in 2025. Ranked 158th globally. This represents a 79.6% decrease from the previous year.
Botswana's current account balance peaked at 31.98% in 1987.
The lowest current account balance in Botswana was -28.28% in 1981.
Botswana ranks 158th globally in current account balance as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Botswana's current account balance is projected to reach -7.60% by 2025 based on IMF projection.
The current account balance of Botswana in 2025 was -7.60%. This ranks 158th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_botswana_current-account,
title = {Botswana Current Account Balance},
url = {https://historysaid.com/botswana/current-account/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}