Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana
Botswana: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 27.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Botswana recorded 27.9% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana peaked at 27.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 1991.
That places Botswana 8th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 17.0% | — |
| 1992 | 19.1% | +12.2% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | +10.3% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 23.6% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 24.2% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 23.7% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 23.7% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 20.3% | -14.3% |
| 2000 | 17.3% | -15.0% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | +28.2% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 26.5% | +8.4% |
| 2004 | 24.4% | -8.2% |
| 2005 | 22.4% | -8.2% |
| 2006 | 20.2% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 19.7% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 19.4% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 19.8% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 21.6% | +9.3% |
| 2011 | 21.6% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 21.2% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 21.2% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 21.4% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 21.8% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 22.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 21.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 22.0% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 22.7% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 26.2% | +15.7% |
| 2022 | 26.1% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 27.1% | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 27.6% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 27.9% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.8% | 17.0% | 24.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.6% | 17.3% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 21.2% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.2% | 22.7% | 27.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More education data for Botswana
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 15,284 (2021)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 9,590 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 20,760 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 20,779 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 175,513 (2021)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 381,674 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1564 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Botswana was 27.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 27.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 1991.
- How does Botswana rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Botswana ranks 8th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.