UN Comtrade Data: Botswana

Using SAS’s UN Comtrade data, I researched the trade patterns of Botswana. Botswana imports a more variety of items into the country than the country exports out. Botswana exports $25 billion dollars from 2008-2013 in pearls, precious stones, metals, and coins. Botswana imported about $6 billion dollars worth of these goods between 2008-2013. Their second largest export is nickel which produced around $3 billion dollars from 2008-2013. Unlike their top export, Botswana does not import any nickel back into the country. The only other exports reported were nuclear reactors and machinery, vehicles other than railway, electrical and electronic equipment, articles of apparel, and ores. The amount of these exports are so small they are almost unreadable on the chart. The country reported no other major exports which shows that this country relies on the sale of pearls, precious stones, metal, and coins in order to have a stable economy. While other than pearls, precious stones, metals and coins, Botswana's imports do not even slightly match the amount the country exports. Disregarding their main exported good, the country generally imports much more than they export. Their top imports are pearls and precious stones, mineral fuels and oil, nuclear reactors and machinery, vehicles other than railway, and electrical and electronic equipment which costed between 4 and 6 billion dollars each between 2008-2013. While the imports were minimal, Botswana also reported importing pharmaceutical products, plastics, iron and steel, rubber, cereal, salt and sulfur, paper, furniture, and sugars. All of these imported goods reported around one to two billion dollars between 2008-2013.

Botswana’s top trade partner is South Africa which imported $26,449,124,565 and exported $4,401,171,653. There next highest trade partner is the United Kingdom which imports $3,739,314,906 and exported $18,201,813,901. The United Kingdom is Botswana’s largest export partner which shows that the United Kingdom must be importing a lot of pearls, precious stones, metals, and coins because that is what Botswana’s major export is. Botswana’s last three highest trade partners were China, Namibia, and Belgium. They all imported around $1,000,000,000. China and Namibia exported around $500,000,000 but Belgium exported $1,781,024,621.

Botswana’s main exported and imported resource is pearls, precious stones, metals, and coins. When I looked up that good specifically, I was surprised to find out that Botswana is number 30 in the world for exporting pearls, precious stones, coins, and medals. The top five exporters are Switzerland, China, United States, United Kingdom, and India. Because Botswana relies on this good to have a strong economy, I was expecting them to be higher on the list. Botswana’s imports of pearls, precious stones, metal, and coins was high but compared to other top importers, Botswana did not even make the top list. The top five importers are the United Kingdom, Namibia, South Africa, Belgium, and Israel.

UN Comtrade Demo | SAS Visual Analytics. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2015, from http://www.sas.com/software/visual-analytics/demos/un-comtrade-basic.html