Botswana

The Republic of Botswana (Tswana: Lefatshe la Botswana), is a landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are Batswana (singular: Motswana), regardless of ethnicity. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast.

Country Name

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland

Nationality

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Capital

name:Gaborone
geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK)
population: 1,842,323
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Growth rate

1.434% (2008 est.)

HIV adult prevalence

37.3% (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%
Kalanga 11%
Basarwa 3%
other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religion

Christian 71.6%
Badimo 6%
other 1.4%
unspecified 0.4%
none 20.6% (2001 census)

Language

Setswana 78.2%
Kalanga 7.9%
Sekgalagadi 2.8%
English 2.1% (official)
other 8.6%
unspecified 0.4%
(2001 census)

Location

Southern Africa
North of South Africa

Area Comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Land Boundaries

total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Climate

semiarid
warm winters and hot summers

Natural Resources

diamonds
copper
nickel
salt
soda ash
potash
coal
iron ore
silver

Economy Over View

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006-07. 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 nearly $15,000 in 2007. 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 real growth rate

5.4% (2007 est.)

GDP per Capital

$16,400 (2007 est.)

Background

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Enviorment current issue

overgrazing
desertification
limited fresh water resources

Government type

parliamentary republic
Capital

Date Posted: 9/4/2008

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