Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Botswana
Botswana: Tax revenue (% of GDP) was 22.4% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Tax revenue in Botswana, 1990–2023
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax revenue in Botswana is 22.4%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 14.1% on the previous year and down 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue in Botswana peaked at 28.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 14.9%, in 1996.
That places Botswana 35th out of 157 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 27.5% | — |
| 1991 | 25.6% | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 27.8% | +9.0% |
| 1993 | 23.7% | -14.9% |
| 1994 | 19.9% | -15.9% |
| 1995 | 16.8% | -15.8% |
| 1996 | 14.9% | -10.9% |
| 2006 | 27.5% | +84.3% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 27.9% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 27.7% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 23.9% | -13.7% |
| 2011 | 24.0% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | +16.6% |
| 2013 | 26.7% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 27.1% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 26.3% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | -17.8% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | +10.6% |
| 2018 | 21.7% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 21.1% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 22.3% | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 22.2% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | -11.6% |
| 2023 | 22.4% | +14.1% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 22.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.0%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 22.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.6%, 1.8× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tax revenue (% of GDP) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +84.3% | 14.9% | 27.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.3% | 14.9% | 27.8% | 7 |
| 2000s | 27.4% | 26.6% | 27.9% | 4 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 21.1% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.6% | 19.6% | 22.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More public sector data for Botswana
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 4.36 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 1,000 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue in Botswana?
- Tax revenue in Botswana was 22.4% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest tax revenue recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 28.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest tax revenue recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.9% in 1996.
- How does Botswana rank for tax revenue?
- Botswana ranks 35th out of 157 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Tax revenue (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.