Country Info: Botswana

Bilateral Trade by Sector: United States - Botswana

Click here for detailed trade profile between the United States & Botswana

Value ('1000 dollars) / Year-to-date is full year

Bilateral Trade by Sector: United States - Botswana

Value ('1000 dollars) / Year-to-date is full year

Sector	Category	2012	2013	2014	2013 YTD	2014 YTD
Agricultural products:
	US Exports	195	387	389	387	389
	US Imports	128		247		247
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Forest products:
	US Exports	217	153	260	153	260
	US Imports	25	6	29	6	29
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Chemicals and related products:
	US Exports	1,164	6,265	1,042	6,265	1,042
	US Imports	50	34		34
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Energy-related products:
	US Exports
	US Imports
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Textiles and apparel:
	US Exports	87	103	23	103	23
	US Imports	10,619	5,860	9,462	5,860	9,462
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports	10,427	5,855	9,458	5,855	9,458
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports	10,427	5,855	9,458	5,855	9,458
Footwear:
	US Exports
	US Imports		1		1
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports		1		1
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports		1		1
Minerals and metals:
	US Exports	313	1,782	685	1,782	685
	US Imports	206,912	268,662	306,751	268,662	306,751
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Machinery:
	US Exports	3,101	2,657	2,318	2,657	2,318
	US Imports	87	99		99
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports		73		73
	GSP imports		73		73
	AGOA imports
Transportation equipment:
	US Exports	3,995	18,674	6,946	18,674	6,946
	US Imports	49	523	15	523	15
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
Electronic products:
	US Exports	8,883	7,278	6,805	7,278	6,805
	US Imports	52	240	731	240	731
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports			3		3
	GSP imports			3		3
	AGOA imports
Miscellaneous manufactures:
	US Exports	315	252	750	252	750
	US Imports	2,057	1,479	29	1,479	29
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports	1,757
	GSP imports	1,757
	AGOA imports
Special provisions:
	US Exports	20,567	39,396	26,207	39,396	26,207
	US Imports	3,556	810	705	810	705
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports
	GSP imports
	AGOA imports
All sectors:
	US Exports	38,837	76,947	45,424	76,947	45,424
	US Imports	223,536	277,714	317,968	277,714	317,968
	AGOA (including GSP provisions) imports	12,184	5,929	9,460	5,929	9,460
	GSP imports	1,757	73	3	73	3
	AGOA imports	10,427	5,856	9,458	5,856	9,458

US Department of Commerce

Empty fields denote 'no trade'

Published on www.AGOA.info - tralac’s online AGOA information portal

Graph Data

Click to view chart

Economic Background

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. However, economic growth was negative in 2009, with the industrial sector shrinking by 30%, after the global crisis reduced demand for Botswana's diamonds. Although the economy recovered in 2010, GDP growth has again slowed.

Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $16,800 in 2012. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP, 70-80% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. Botswana's heavy reliance on a single luxury export was a critical factor in the sharp economic contraction of 2009. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. According to official government statistics, unemployment reached 17.8% in 2009, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond production within the next two decades overshadows long-term prospects.

A major international diamond company signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 to move its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone by the end of 2013. The move may support Botswana's downstream diamond industry. (Source: World Factbook, 2013)