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Foreign Trade in Figures

Botswana has a great interest in opening its foreign trade and its regional integration despite its landlocked geographical position. The country figures among the members of several organizations: WTO, SACU (South African Customs Union) and SADC (Southern African Development Community), and it has signed trade agreements with the European Union and the United States. It is one of the freest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, where foreign trade accounts to about 80% of the country's GDP.

Since the mid-80s, the country had been recording an increasing trade balance surplus. The global economic recession had a strong impact on the exports, thus reversing this trend and since 2009 the country presents a trade deficit (nevertheless, it was much lower in 2011).

The country’s main trade partners are the Southern African Customs Union, the European Union and China. Botswana mainly exports diamonds, copper, nickel, meat and textiles. It mainly imports foodstuffs, machinery, electrical products, transport equipment, textiles, petro-products, wood and paper products.

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20072008200920102011
Imports of Goods (million USD) 4,0675,2114,7285,6577,160
Exports of Goods (million USD) 5,1744,9513,4564,6935,790
Imports of Services (million USD) 1,0261,1211,040867-
Exports of Services (million USD) 836918842385-
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 2616-95-
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 10-2-281-
Trade Balance (million USD) 1,606328-754--
Current Account (million USD) 1,796468-526--
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 83837960-
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 35424532-
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 47423429-

Source: WTO - World Trade Organization ; World Bank - Last Available Data.

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Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2010
United Kingdom 55.5%
South Africa 12.9%
Norway 9.3%
Israel 5.3%
Zimbabwe 3.8%
See More Countries 13.3%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2010
South Africa 72.8%
United Kingdom 9.3%
China 4.9%
Israel 1.9%
United States 1.3%
See More Countries 9.8%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

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Main Products

Main Exports
(% of Exports)
2010
Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted...Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or set (excl. unmounted stones for pick-up styluses, worked stones, suitable for use as parts of meters, measuring instruments or other articles of chapter 90) 68.4%
Nickel mattes, nickel oxide sinters and other...Nickel mattes, nickel oxide sinters and other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy : 10.9%
Meat of bovine animals, fresh or chilledMeat of bovine animals, fresh or chilled 2.1%
Carbonates; peroxocarbonates "percarbonates";...Carbonates; peroxocarbonates "percarbonates"; commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbamate 1.5%
Nickel ores and concentratesNickel ores and concentrates 1.4%
See More Products 15.8%
Main Imports
(% of Imports)
2010
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 12.5%
Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted...Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or set (excl. unmounted stones for pick-up styluses, worked stones, suitable for use as parts of meters, measuring instruments or other articles of chapter 90) 11.7%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 3.2%
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl....Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl. chassis with engine and cab 2.6%
Cement, incl. cement clinkers, whether or not...Cement, incl. cement clinkers, whether or not coloured 1.6%
See More Products 68.4%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

 

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Commercial Policy

Main International Economic Cooperation
Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU)

Member of Southern African Development Committee (SADC)

Member of African Union

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Assessment of Commercial Policy
Country’s commercial policy
Average Customs Duty (Excluding Agricultural Products)
8.59%
 

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties and local taxes

 
Useful Resources
The national customs website
National Organization of Intellectual Property
The Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property.
 

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Learn more about How to Export to Botswana on Globaltrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.
 

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Last Updates: May 2012

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