Total government debt in Botswana

Botswana: Total government debt was 18.58 billion current LCU in 2011. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2011)
18.58 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 32.8%
World rank
36th
of 44 countries
All-time high
18.58 billion current LCU
in 2011
All-time low
0 current LCU
in 1990
Years of data
30
1982–2011

Total government debt in Botswana, 1982–2011

05.0B10.0B15.0B20.0B1982199620111982: 124.1M current LCU1983: 182.8M current LCU1984: 224.6M current LCU1985: 343.9M current LCU1986: 403.7M current LCU1987: 465.0M current LCU1988: 539.1M current LCU1989: 692.9M current LCU1990: 0 current LCU1991: 0 current LCU1992: 713.7M current LCU1993: 3.0B current LCU1994: 3.4B current LCU1995: 3.7B current LCU1996: 3.9B current LCU1997: 4.2B current LCU1998: 4.4B current LCU1999: 4.6B current LCU2000: 4.5B current LCU2001: 4.6B current LCU2002: 4.8B current LCU2003: 4.9B current LCU2004: 4.4B current LCU2005: 3.7B current LCU2006: 3.8B current LCU2007: 4.2B current LCU2008: 5.9B current LCU2009: 15.3B current LCU2010: 14.0B current LCU2011: 18.6B current LCU

Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in current LCU.

Analysis

The most recent figure for total government debt in Botswana is 18.58 billion current LCU, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 32.8% on the previous year and up 306.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total government debt in Botswana peaked at 18.58 billion current LCU in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0 current LCU, in 1990.

Botswana ranks 36th of 44 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Total government debt in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for Total government debt (current LCU) in Botswana, 1982 to 2011.
Year current LCU Change
1982 124.08 million current LCU
1983 182.75 million current LCU +47.3%
1984 224.62 million current LCU +22.9%
1985 343.93 million current LCU +53.1%
1986 403.70 million current LCU +17.4%
1987 465.00 million current LCU +15.2%
1988 539.08 million current LCU +15.9%
1989 692.88 million current LCU +28.5%
1990 0 current LCU -100.0%
1991 0 current LCU
1992 713.67 million current LCU
1993 2.97 billion current LCU +316.4%
1994 3.40 billion current LCU +14.4%
1995 3.68 billion current LCU +8.3%
1996 3.90 billion current LCU +6.0%
1997 4.17 billion current LCU +6.8%
1998 4.38 billion current LCU +5.1%
1999 4.65 billion current LCU +6.2%
2000 4.55 billion current LCU -2.2%
2001 4.57 billion current LCU +0.5%
2002 4.77 billion current LCU +4.4%
2003 4.91 billion current LCU +3.1%
2004 4.37 billion current LCU -11.0%
2005 3.70 billion current LCU -15.4%
2006 3.79 billion current LCU +2.4%
2007 4.20 billion current LCU +11.0%
2008 5.86 billion current LCU +39.4%
2009 15.28 billion current LCU +160.7%
2010 13.99 billion current LCU -8.5%
2011 18.58 billion current LCU +32.8%

Botswana compared with similar countries

  • Botswana's 18.58 billion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 859.76 billion current LCU, 2% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
  • Botswana's 18.58 billion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 525.00 billion current LCU, 4% of the median. (39 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Total government debt 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.

YearChange FromTo
1993 +316.4% 713.67 million current LCU 2.97 billion current LCU
2009 +160.7% 5.86 billion current LCU 15.28 billion current LCU
1990 -100.0% 692.88 million current LCU 0 current LCU

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 372.00 million current LCU 124.08 million current LCU 692.88 million current LCU 8
1990s 2.79 billion current LCU 0 current LCU 4.65 billion current LCU 10
2000s 5.60 billion current LCU 3.70 billion current LCU 15.28 billion current LCU 10
2010s 16.29 billion current LCU 13.99 billion current LCU 18.58 billion current LCU 2

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 33 Ghana 38.70 billion current LCU compare
  2. 34 Tunisia 29.88 billion current LCU compare
  3. 35 Namibia 26.52 billion current LCU compare
  4. 37 Eswatini 7.26 billion current LCU compare
  5. 38 Lesotho 7.05 billion current LCU compare
  6. 39 Zimbabwe 6.33 billion current LCU compare

See the full ranking of 44 places →

More science & technology data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is total government debt in Botswana?
Total government debt in Botswana was 18.58 billion current LCU in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
What is the highest total government debt recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 18.58 billion current LCU in 2011.
What is the lowest total government debt recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 0 current LCU in 1990.
How does Botswana rank for total government debt?
Botswana ranks 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
Is total government debt rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 306.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Botswana data come from?
The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of Total government debt (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total government debt in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank country economists. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/total-government-debt-current-lcu/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
Total government debt (current LCU)
Unit
current LCU
Source
World Bank country economists
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
44 places, 1,020 data points, 1965–2011
Last refreshed

Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Data are in current local currency.