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Botswana vs. Namibia

Economy

BotswanaNamibia
Economy - overview

Until the beginning of the global recession in 2008, Botswana maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since its independence in 1966. Botswana recovered from the global recession in 2010, but only grew modestly until 2017, primarily due to a downturn in the global diamond market, though water and power shortages also played a role. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world five decades ago into a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of approximately $18,100 in 2017. Botswana also ranks as one of the least corrupt and best places to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Because of its heavy reliance on diamond exports, Botswana's economy closely follows global price trends for that one commodity. Diamond mining fueled much of Botswana's past economic expansion and currently accounts for one-quarter of GDP, approximately 85% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. In 2017, Diamond exports increased to the highest levels since 2013 at about 22 million carats of output, driving Botswana's economic growth to about 4.5% and increasing foreign exchange reserves to about 45% of GDP. De Beers, a major international diamond company, signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 and moved its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone in 2013. The move was geared to support the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry.

 

Tourism is a secondary earner of foreign exchange and many Batswana engage in tourism-related services, subsistence farming, and cattle rearing. According to official government statistics, unemployment is around 20%, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens the country's impressive economic gains.

Namibia's economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for about 12.5% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. The rising cost of mining diamonds, especially from the sea, combined with increased diamond production in Russia and China, has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities have emphasized the need to add value to raw materials, do more in-country manufacturing, and exploit the services market, especially in the logistics and transportation sectors.

Namibia is one of the world's largest producers of uranium. The Chinese-owned Husab uranium mine began producing uranium ore in 2017, and is expected to reach full production in August 2018 and produce 15 million pounds of uranium a year. Namibia also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought.

Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years, food shortages are problematic in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, obscures one of the world's most unequal income distributions; the current government has prioritized exploring wealth redistribution schemes while trying to maintain a pro-business environment. GDP growth in 2017 slowed to about 1%, however, due to contractions in both the construction and mining sectors, as well as an ongoing drought. Growth is expected to recover modestly in 2018.

A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country, Namibia is ineligible for a second compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU); volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment and global mineral prices complicates budget planning.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$40.928 billion (2019 est.)

$39.749 billion (2018 est.)

$38.045 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$24.04 billion (2019 est.)

$24.316 billion (2018 est.)

$24.147 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate2.4% (2017 est.)

4.3% (2016 est.)

-1.7% (2015 est.)
-1.56% (2019 est.)

1.13% (2018 est.)

-1.02% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$17,767 (2019 est.)

$17,634 (2018 est.)

$17,253 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$9,637 (2019 est.)

$9,932 (2018 est.)

$10,051 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 1.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 27.5% (2017 est.)

services: 70.6% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 6.7% (2016 est.)

industry: 26.3% (2016 est.)

services: 67% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line19.3% (2009 est.)17.4% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 42% (2010)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2.7% (2019 est.)

3.2% (2018 est.)

3.2% (2017 est.)
3.7% (2019 est.)

4.2% (2018 est.)

6.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force1.177 million (2017 est.)956,800 (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: NA

industry: NA

services: NA
agriculture: 31%

industry: 14%

services: 54% (2013 est.)

note: about half of Namibia's people are unemployed while about two-thirds live in rural areas; roughly two-thirds of rural dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture
Unemployment rate20% (2013 est.)

17.8% (2009 est.)
34% (2016 est.)

28.1% (2014 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index53.3 (2015 est.)

63 (1993)
59.1 (2015 est.)

70.7 (2003)
Budgetrevenues: 5.305 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.478 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 4.268 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5 billion (2017 est.)
Industriesdiamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver; beef processing; textilesmeatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, pasta, beverages; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate-4.2% (2017 est.)-0.4% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productsmilk, roots/tubers, vegetables, sorghum, beef, game meat, watermelons, cabbages, goat milk, onionsroots/tubers nes, milk, maize, onions, beef, grapes, fruit, pulses nes, vegetables, millet
Exports$5.934 billion (2017 est.)

$7.226 billion (2016 est.)
$6.087 billion (2019 est.)

$6.225 billion (2018 est.)

$5.347 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiesdiamonds, insulated wiring, gold, beef, carbonates (2019)copper, diamonds, uranium, thorium, gold, radioactive chemicals, fish (2019)
Exports - partnersIndia 21%, Belgium 19%, United Arab Emirates 19%, South Africa 9%, Israel 7%, Hong Kong 6%, Singapore 5% (2019)China 27%, South Africa 18%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7% (2019)
Imports$5.005 billion (2017 est.)

$5.871 billion (2016 est.)
$9.921 billion (2019 est.)

$9.611 billion (2018 est.)

$9.249 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesdiamonds, refined petroleum, cars, delivery trucks, electricity (2019)copper, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, diamonds, cars (2019)
Imports - partnersSouth Africa 58%, Namibia 9%, Canada 7% (2019)South Africa 47%, Zambia 16% (2019)
Debt - external$2.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.421 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$7.969 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.904 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange ratespulas (BWP) per US dollar -

10.90512 (2020 est.)

10.81081 (2019 est.)

10.60446 (2018 est.)

10.1263 (2014 est.)

8.9761 (2013 est.)
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -

13.67 (2017 est.)

14.7096 (2016 est.)

14.7096 (2015 est.)

12.7589 (2014 est.)

10.8526 (2013 est.)
Fiscal year1 April - 31 March1 April - 31 March
Public debt14% of GDP (2017 est.)

15.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
41.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

39.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$7.491 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.189 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$2.432 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.834 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance$2.146 billion (2017 est.)

$2.147 billion (2016 est.)
-$216 million (2019 est.)

-$465 million (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$18.335 billion (2019 est.)$12.372 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsMoody's rating: A2 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB+ (2020)
Fitch rating: BB (2019)

Moody's rating: Ba3 (2020)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 66.2 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 76.2 (2020)

Trading score: 86.7 (2020)

Enforcement score: 50 (2020)
Overall score: 61.4 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 72.2 (2020)

Trading score: 61.5 (2020)

Enforcement score: 63.4 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues30.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)32.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 37.8%

male: 39%

female: 36.4% (2019 est.)
total: 38%

male: 37.5%

female: 38.5% (2018 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 48.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 29% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -1.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 39.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -33.9% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 68.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 36.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -47.5% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving32.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

34% of GDP (2017 est.)

38.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
8.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

12% of GDP (2018 est.)

12.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook