Botswana — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Botswana, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Botswana was 68.80% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 58.60% in 2000 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.27% per year.
Botswana ranks 32 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 17%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Botswana sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 11%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 15 of 47 economies; Ethiopia (68.46%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 6% in 2023. That is 7% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 84th of 187 in 1990 → 118th of 187 in 2000 → 106th of 187 in 2010 → 84th of 187 in 2020 → 31st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 68.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 68.57% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 68.28% | +3.7 pp |
| 2022 | 64.62% | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 63.99% | +2.7 pp |
| 2020 | 61.3% | -2.2 pp |
| 2019 | 63.48% | +0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 63.11% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 62.77% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 62.46% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 62.19% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 61.92% | +0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 61.59% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 61.17% | +0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 60.57% | +0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 59.86% | -2.8 pp |
| 2009 | 62.68% | +0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 61.78% | +0.9 pp |
| 2007 | 60.85% | +1.0 pp |
| 2006 | 59.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 59.67% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 59.43% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 59.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 59.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 58.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 58.6% | -0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 59.38% | -0.7 pp |
| 1998 | 60.12% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 60.46% | -0.4 pp |
| 1996 | 60.89% | -0.4 pp |
| 1995 | 61.29% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 61.65% | -0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 61.94% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 62.14% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 62.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 62.61% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Botswana’s Labor participation in 1991?
62.35% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Botswana’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +9.9% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 68.8%; 2024: 68.57%; 2023: 68.28%; 2022: 64.62%; 2021: 63.99%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.