Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Botswana
Botswana: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 25.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Botswana, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 25.5% for transport services in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Botswana peaked at 66.6% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2003.
Botswana ranks 116th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 50.5% | — |
| 1976 | 66.6% | +31.8% |
| 1977 | 62.2% | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 46.3% | -18.4% |
| 1980 | 48.1% | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 48.7% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 47.6% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 49.7% | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 47.9% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 48.1% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 49.5% | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 45.7% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 50.8% | +11.1% |
| 1990 | 57.5% | +13.2% |
| 1991 | 61.4% | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 54.8% | -10.7% |
| 1993 | 52.1% | -5.1% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 42.6% | -20.6% |
| 1996 | 52.4% | +22.9% |
| 1997 | 48.5% | -7.4% |
| 1998 | 42.0% | -13.4% |
| 1999 | 42.0% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 42.0% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 10.9% | -74.1% |
| 2002 | 12.4% | +14.6% |
| 2003 | 10.4% | -16.1% |
| 2004 | 11.2% | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | +13.5% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 14.3% | +14.4% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | +12.3% |
| 2010 | 10.5% | -34.9% |
| 2011 | 15.9% | +51.7% |
| 2012 | 38.5% | +142.5% |
| 2013 | 36.4% | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 27.2% | -25.2% |
| 2015 | 27.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 20.0% | -26.6% |
| 2018 | 21.7% | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 20.1% | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 30.5% | +41.3% |
| 2022 | 34.2% | +12.4% |
| 2023 | 29.2% | -14.6% |
| 2024 | 26.7% | -8.6% |
| 2025 | 25.5% | -4.5% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 25.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31.9%, 80% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 25.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.1%, 62% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +142.5% | 15.9% | 38.5% |
| 2001 | -74.1% | 42.0% | 10.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.5% | 46.3% | 66.6% | 5 |
| 1980s | 48.4% | 45.7% | 50.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.7% | 42.0% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 10.4% | 42.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 10.5% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.0% | 21.6% | 34.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 113 Saint Kitts and Nevis 26.3% compare
- 114 New Caledonia 25.6% compare
- 115 Mongolia 25.6% compare
- 117 Kazakhstan 25.5% compare
- 118 North Macedonia 25.4% compare
- 119 Grenada 25.0% compare
More private sector data for Botswana
- Merchandise trade 57.8% (2025)
- Food imports 16.2% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 61.8% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 6.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.9% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 86.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 5.12 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.05 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,998 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Botswana?
- Transport services in Botswana was 25.5% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 66.6% in 1976.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2003.
- How does Botswana rank for transport services?
- Botswana ranks 116th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.