Summary
- Botswana → South Africa
- $487million
- South Africa → Botswana
- $4.3billion
- Botswana’s balance
- -$3.8billion
Balance
Botswana’s trade balance with South Africa
Trade between Botswana and South Africa grew 2.9-fold since 2000
USD billions (current). Botswana’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 0.5
- Imports 4.3
- Balance -3.8
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1998 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1999 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 2000 | $160 million | $1.5 billion | -$1.3 billion |
| 2001 | $152 million | $1.4 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2002 | $237 million | $2.7 billion | -$2.4 billion |
| 2003 | $278 million | $3.3 billion | -$3.1 billion |
| 2004 | $311 million | $2.7 billion | -$2.3 billion |
| 2005 | $661 million | $2.6 billion | -$2 billion |
| 2006 | $487 million | $2.6 billion | -$2.1 billion |
| 2007 | $711 million | $3.3 billion | -$2.6 billion |
| 2008 | $1 billion | $4 billion | -$2.9 billion |
| 2009 | $601 million | $3.6 billion | -$3 billion |
| 2010 | $396 million | $3.4 billion | -$3 billion |
| 2011 | $473 million | $5.7 billion | -$5.2 billion |
| 2012 | $657 million | $4.9 billion | -$4.2 billion |
| 2013 | $653 million | $4.2 billion | -$3.6 billion |
| 2014 | $555 million | $6.1 billion | -$5.5 billion |
| 2015 | $470 million | $5.3 billion | -$4.8 billion |
| 2016 | $490 million | $3.9 billion | -$3.4 billion |
| 2017 | $448 million | $3.8 billion | -$3.3 billion |
| 2018 | $511 million | $4.1 billion | -$3.6 billion |
| 2019 | $468 million | $3.8 billion | -$3.4 billion |
| 2020 | $511 million | $3.9 billion | -$3.3 billion |
| 2021 | $686 million | $4.6 billion | -$3.9 billion |
| 2022 | $831 million | $5 billion | -$4.2 billion |
| 2023 | $552 million | $4.3 billion | -$3.7 billion |
| 2024 | $487 million | $4.3 billion | -$3.8 billion |
What they sell each other
What Botswana sells to South Africa
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
What South Africa sells to Botswana
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
How it travels
Botswana and South Africa traded $4.8 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 100% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.
Split by transport mode
Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.
How much each matters to the other
South Africa was Botswana’s largest trading partner (45% of its trade), and Botswana was South Africa’s 10th (2%).
- South Africa in Botswana’s trade
- 45.3%
- South Africa’s rank among Botswana’s partners
- 1st
- Botswana in South Africa’s trade
- 1.9%
- Botswana’s rank among South Africa’s partners
- 10th
Compare with
Other partners of Botswana
Other partners of South Africa
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
- World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
Methodology
Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.