growth
rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the
poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per
capita GDP of $11,200 in 2006. 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 and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,
financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are
other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with
high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was
23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%.
HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and
threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling
off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18.72 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.697 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining)
services: 50.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
288,400 formal sector employees (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Unemployment rate:
23.8% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
30.3% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.256 billion
expenditures: $3.968 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
7.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
6.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
823 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.464 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (20