Agriculture still provides a livelihood for more
than 80% of the population but supplies only about 50% of food needs
and accounts for only 3% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle
raising predominate. The sector is plagued by erratic rainfall and
poor soils. Diamond mining and tourism also are important to the
economy. Substantial mineral deposits were found in the 1970s and the
mining sector grew from 25% of GDP in 1980 to 38% in 1998.
Unemployment officially is 21% but unofficial estimates place it
closer to 40%. The Orapa 2000 project, which will double the capacity
of the country's main diamond mine, will be finished in early 2000.
This will be the main force behind continued economic expansion.

purchasing power parity - $5.7 billion (1999 est.)

6.5% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $3,900 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 4%
industry: 46% (including 36% mining)
services: 50% (1998 est.)

47% (1999 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

7.7% (1999 est.)

235,000 formal sector employees (1995)

100,000 public sector; 135,000 private
sector, including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South
Africa; most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence
agriculture (1995 est.)

20%-40% (1999 est.)

revenues: $1.6 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560
million (FY96/97)

diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash;
livestock processing

4.6% (FY92/93)

1 billion kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

1.619 billion kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

689 million kWh (1998)

sorghum, corn, millet, pulses, groundnuts
(peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock

$2.36 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

diamonds 72%, vehicles, copper, nickel, meat
(1998)

EU 74%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 21%,
Zimbabwe 3% (1996)

$2.05 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,
textiles, petroleum products

Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 78%, Europe
8%, Zimbabwe 6% (1996)

$651 million (1998)

$73 million (1995)

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

pulas (P) per US$1 - 4.6168 (January 2000), 4.6244
(1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997), 3.3242 (1996), 2.7722 (1995)

1 April - 31 March