Map of Botswana | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 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

Elevation

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 75%
Forest and woodland: 2%
Other: 21%

Irrigated land: 20 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country


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Population: 1,359,352 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 2.45% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun: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 profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.45% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 32.19 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 7.72 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing; desertification; water scarcity

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 39.3 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.05 years
Male: 60.03 years
Female: 66.16 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.06 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990 est.)
Total population: 23%
Male: 32%
Female: 16%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
Conventional short form: 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 areas

Independence: 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 participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government:President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980; Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992; election last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994; results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly

Legislative branch: Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police
House of Chiefs: is a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of chiefs of the 8 principal tribes, 4 elected subchiefs, and 3 members selected by the other 12
National Assembly: elections last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (38 total of which 34 are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 31, BNF 3, unfilled seats pending new elections 4

Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Howard JETER
From the us chancery: Suite 7M, 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us telephone: [267] 353-982
From the us fax: (202) 244-4,164
From the us embassy: address NA, Gaborone
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
From the us FAX: [267] 356-947

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy 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. Recovery in sluggish diamond markets in second half 1993 helped Botswana achieve moderate growth of 3% for the year.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture 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: 6.8% (FY91; accounts for about 53% of GDP, including mining

Labor force: 428,000 (1992)
Note:

Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$1.7 billion

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b. 1992)
Commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5%
Partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
Partners: Switzerland, SACU (Southern African Customs Union), UK, US

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $344 million (December 1991)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1 - 3.1309 (January 1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990), 2.0125 (1989)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 901 million kWh (in addition 228,000,000 kWh were imported)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 874 kWh (1992 est.)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 101
Usable: 90
With permanentsurface runways: 9
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 30

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs