A landlocked nation in Southern Africa, Botswana was once the British
protectorate of Bechuanaland. The new name was conferred on the country
after its independence in 1966. Named after its largest ethnic group,
the Tswana, the country shares its borders with South Africa to the
south, Zambia to the north, Namibia to the west and Zimbabwe to the
northeast.
Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, otherwise not
to be found in most African countries, has contributed to the emergence
of Botswana as a resounding success story in terms of economic buoyancy
in Africa.
Travel overview
Tourism is a fast emerging sector thanks to the country's conservation
practices and extensive nature preserves.
The scenic wonderland of Botswana attracts tourists from the world
over. For adventure enthusiasts, the country is a thrilling destination.
Touted as a famous safari destination, the Botswana is home to diverse
topographic extremes including savannah, wilderness of desert, wetlands
and salt flats.
Botswana’s claim to fame lies in the Okavango Delta, the largest
inland delta in the world. The delta is formed by the Okavango River
that pours into the Kalahari Desert. Other attractions of Botswana
include the Chobe and Kgalagadi National Parks. The Mokolodi Nature
Reserve is famous as its safari destination. The Tsodilo Hills is
well-known for ancient rock paintings.
Capital: Gaborone
Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Total Area: 600,370 sq km
Total Population: 1,815,508
Population Growth Rate: 1.503%
Sex Ratio: 1.003 male(s)/female
Literacy: 79.8%
Ethnic Groups: Tswana (or Setswana), Kalanga, Basarwa, Kgalagadi
Irrigated land: 10 sq km
Languages: Setswana, Kalanga, Sekgalagadi, English
Time Zone: UTC+2
Currency: pula
Neighbouring countries: Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Type of govt.: parliamentary republic
Head of Govt.: President Festus G. Mogae
Major Political Parties: Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM, Botswana
Congress Party or BCP, Botswana Democratic Party or BDP , Botswana
National Front or BNF, Botswana Peoples Party or BPP, MELS Movement
of Botswana or MELS, New Democratic Front or NDF
Participation in International Organizations: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Major Agricultural Products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans,
sunflowers, groundnuts
Natural Resources & Minerals: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt,
soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Industry & Transport: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash,
potash; livestock processing; textiles
Airports: 85
Railways: 888 km
Roadways: 24,355 km
Major Trade Partners: European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Southern
African Customs Union , Zimbabwe, Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
Exports: $4.836 billion
Imports: $3.034 billion |
|