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.

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 600,370 km²
Land: 585,370 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

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

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.)

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

Population: 1,392,414 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.36% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (female 300,598; male 303,333)
15-64 years: 53% (female 398,347; male 344,838)
65 years and over: 4% (female 25,773; male 19,525) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.36% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 31.01 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.41 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing, primarily as a result of the expansion of the cattle population; desertification; limited natural fresh water resources
Current issues natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Current issues international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.56 years
Male: 60.54 years
Female: 66.67 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.86 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Country name
Conventional 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, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe

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

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 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
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 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total of which 40 are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 27, BNF 13

Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

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

Diplomatic representation
In 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: [1] (202) 244-4,990, 4,991
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 244-4,164
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Howard F. JETER
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

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 supplies only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 5% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle raising predominate. 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 39% in 1994. 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%. Hampered by a still sluggish diamond market in 1994, GDP grew by only 1%.

Real gdp growth rate: 1% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $3,130 (1994 est.)

Agriculture products: sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts, beans, cowpeas, sunflower seeds; livestock

Industries: mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (FY92/93; accounts for about 43% of GDP, including mining

Labor force: 428,000 (1992)
Note:

Unemployment rate: 25% (1994 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $1.7 billion
Expenditures: $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY93/94)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1994)
Commodoties: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5%
Partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

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

Debt external: $344 million (December 1991)

Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1 - 1.7086 (January 1995), 2.6976 (November 1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 220,000 kW
Production: 900 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 694 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 26,000 telephones; sparse system; telephone density - 18.67 telephones/1000 persons
Local: NA
Intercity: small system of open wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radio communication stations
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $198 million, 5.2% of GDP (FY93/94)

Airports: 100
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 23
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 62

Disputes international: short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in mid-February 1995 and the parties agreed to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice