Real interest rate in Botswana
Botswana: Real interest rate was 4.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Botswana, 1980–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 4.2% for real interest rate in 2024.
That represents a change of down 13.4% on the previous year and up 873.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Botswana peaked at 19.8% in 1982 and was at its lowest, -12.1%, in 1988.
That places Botswana 82nd out of 149 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real interest rate in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -1.6% | — |
| 1981 | 9.7% | -724.5% |
| 1982 | 19.8% | +103.5% |
| 1983 | 4.3% | -78.5% |
| 1984 | -3.0% | -169.7% |
| 1985 | -9.3% | +212.3% |
| 1986 | -2.7% | -71.1% |
| 1987 | -2.4% | -10.9% |
| 1988 | -12.1% | +406.7% |
| 1989 | -5.3% | -56.5% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -128.1% |
| 1991 | 6.3% | +327.1% |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +9.1% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | -76.3% |
| 1994 | 4.1% | +148.3% |
| 1995 | 6.8% | +66.6% |
| 1996 | -1.4% | -120.5% |
| 1997 | 8.5% | -714.4% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | -60.7% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -85.9% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | +142.1% |
| 2001 | 6.9% | +499.2% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | +116.2% |
| 2003 | 12.7% | -14.3% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -59.5% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -95.5% |
| 2006 | 10.7% | +4570.2% |
| 2007 | 9.6% | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | -31.8% |
| 2009 | -1.2% | -117.9% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -398.0% |
| 2011 | -1.5% | -141.9% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | -628.3% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +10.0% |
| 2014 | -0.5% | -106.4% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | -841.2% |
| 2016 | -4.1% | -201.2% |
| 2017 | 9.8% | -337.8% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -34.2% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -9.0% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -77.6% |
| 2021 | -2.9% | -320.0% |
| 2022 | -7.4% | +156.2% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | -166.2% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -13.4% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 4.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.2%, 82% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.9%, 86% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real interest rate 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 | +4570.2% | 0.2% | 10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -0.2% | -12.1% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | -1.4% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.7% | -1.2% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | -4.1% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | -7.4% | 4.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More financial sector data for Botswana
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0034 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 26.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate -0.0848 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0025 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 19.45 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0034 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 26.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate -0.0848 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Botswana?
- Real interest rate in Botswana was 4.2% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 1982.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.1% in 1988.
- How does Botswana rank for real interest rate?
- Botswana ranks 82nd out of 149 countries with data for 2024.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 873.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.