Statistical information Botswana 1990
Botswana in the World
top of pageBackground: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy closely tied to South Africa's is dominated by cattle raising and mining.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 4,013 km total; Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: none--landlocked
Maritime claims: none--landlocked
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
ElevationNatural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver, natural gas
Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 75% meadows and pastures; 2% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: landlocked; very long boundary with South Africa geoad2
top of pagePopulation: 1,224,527 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)
Nationality: noun and adjective--Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups: 95% Batswana; about 4% Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi; about 1% white
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Religions: 50% indigenous beliefs, 50% Christian
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 37 births/1000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1990)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: rains in early 1988 broke six years of drought that had severely affected the important cattle industry; overgrazing; desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 43 deaths/1000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 58 years male, 64 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1990)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 60%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; note--in addition, there may now be 4 town councils named Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Pikwe
Dependent areasIndependence: 30 September 1966 (from UK; formerly Bechuanaland)
National holiday: Botswana Day, 30 September (1966)
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 21
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Quett K. J. MASIRE (since 13 July 1980; Vice President Peter S. MMUSI (since 3 January 1983)
Legislative branch: Army, Air Wing, Botswana Police
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE; Chancery at Suite 404, 4,301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 244-4,990 or 4,991; US--Ambassador-designate David PASSAGE; Deputy Chief of Mission Johnnie CARSON; Embassy at Botswana Road, Gaborone (mailing address is P. O. Box 90, Gaborone; telephone p267o 353,982 through 353,984
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for over 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs and contributes a small 5% to GDP. The driving force behind the rapid economic growth of the 1970s and 1980s has been the mining industry. This sector, mostly on the strength of diamonds, has gone from generating 25% of GDP in 1980 to over 50% in 1988. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not that of the agricultural sector, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. A scarce resource base limits diversification into labor-intensive industries.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import large share of food needs
Industries: livestock processing; mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 16.8% (FY86)
Labor force: 400,000; 163,000 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1988 est.), 19,000 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1988)
Unemployment rate: 25% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $1,235 million; expenditures $1,080 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY90 est.)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: diamonds 88%, copper and nickel 5%, meat 4%, cattle, animal products
Partners: Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern African Customs Union
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles, textiles, petroleum products
Partners: Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern African Customs Union
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $700 million (December 1989 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: pula (P) per US$1--1.8734 (January 1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988), 1.6779 (1987), 1.8678 (1986), 1.8882 (1985)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity productionElectricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: 2.2% of GNP (1987)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 99 total, 87 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: short section of the boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs