Statistical information Botswana 1993

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 pageLocation: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 600,370 km²
Land: 585,370 km²
Land boundaries:
total 4,013 km, Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km,
Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (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
Land usePermanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 75%
Forest and woodland: 2%
Other: 21%
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 1,325,920 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.53% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.53% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 33.39 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 8.05 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: overgrazing, desertification
Current issues note: landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 40.6 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 62.54 years
Male: 59.52 years
Female: 65.65 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.25 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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: age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990)
Total population: 72%
Male: 67%
Female: 74%
By occupation: 198,500 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1990 est.); 14,600 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1990)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Botswana
Conventional short form: Botswana
Former: Bechuanaland
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi,
Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; in addition, there are 4 town councils - Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Phikwe
Dependent areasIndependence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence 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: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE
In the us chancery: Suite 7M, 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 244-4,990 or 4,991
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David PASSAGE
From the us embassy: address NA, Gaborone
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
From the us telephone: 267 353-982
From the us fax: 267 356-947
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 more than 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs. 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 50% in 1991. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not agriculture, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. Although diamond production was down slightly in 1992, substantial gains in coal output and manufacturing helped boost the economy
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 5.8% (FY92 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $2,450 (FY92 est.)
Gross 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 up to of 80% of food needs
Industries: mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
Industrial production growth rate:
growth rate 6.9% (1991); accounts for about 53% of
GDP, including mining
Labor forceUnemployment rate: 25% (1989)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY94)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation 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: $1.6 billion (f.o.b. 1991)
Commodoties: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 8%, meat 4%
Partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)
ImportsCommodoties: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
Partners: Switzerland, SACU (Southern African Customs Union), UK, US
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: pula (P) per US$1 - 2.31 (February 1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 220,000 kW capacity; 1,123 million kWh produced, 846 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 100
Usable: 87
With permanentsurface runways: 8
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 29
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international:
short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; disputed island with Namibia in the Chobe River; quadripoint with
Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Sidudu Island in Linyanti River
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs