Background: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland Botswana adopted its new name at independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership progressive social policies and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable 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.

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S 24 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 581,730 km²
Land: 566,730 km²
Water: 15,000 km²
Rank: 48
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 4,347 km
Border countries: (4) Namibia 1544 km; South Africa 1969 km; Zambia 0.15 km; Zimbabwe 834 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
Extremes highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1489 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 45.8%
Forest: 19.8%
Other: 34.4%

Irrigated land: 14.39 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 12.24 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west carrying sand and dust across the country which can obscure visibility

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

Population: 2,182,719
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
Rank: 145
Growth rate: 1.21% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 99
Below poverty line: 30.3% (2003 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Motswana Batswana (plural)
Adjective: Motswana Batswana (plural)

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

Languages: Setswana 78.2% Kalanga 7.9% Sekgalagadi 2.8% English (official) 2.1% Sesarwa 1.9% Sempukushu 1.7% other 5.1% unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.)

Religions: Christian 71.6% Badimo 6% other 1.4% (includes Baha'i Hindu Muslim) unspecified 0.4% none 20.6% (2001 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.66%
15-24 years: 21.49%
25-54 years: 37.31%
55-64 years: 4.48%
65 years and over: 4.06% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 55.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 49.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.6%
Potential support ratio: 17.9%

Median age
Total: 23.1 years
Male: 23.1 years
Female: 23 years

Population growth rate: 1.21% (2015 est.)
Rank: 99

Birth rate: 20.96 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 77

Death rate: 13.39 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 15

Net migration rate: 4.56 migrant(s)/1000 population
Note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities
Rank: 28

Urbanization
Urban population: 57.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: GABORONE (capital) 247,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male/female
25-54 years: 1.14 male/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male/female
Total population: 1.03 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.93 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.26 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.59 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 145

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.18 years
Male: 55.97 years
Female: 52.33 years
Rank: 212

Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 90

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 52.8%
Note: percent of women aged 12-49

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.4 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 1.8 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 25.16% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 2
People living with hivaids: 392,400 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 19
Deaths: 5,100 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 30

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.5% (2014)
Rank: 128

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.2% (2008)
Rank: 66

Education expenditures: 9.5% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 5

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 88.5%
Male: 88%
Female: 88.9%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: NA
Female: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
Conventional short form: Botswana
Local long form: Republic of Botswana
Local short form: Botswana
Former: Bechuanaland

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Gaborone
Geographic coordinates: 24 38 S 25 54 E
Time difference: UTC+2

Administrative divisions: 10 districts and 6 town councils*; Central Chobe Francistown* Gaborone* Ghanzi Jwaneng* Kgalagadi Kgatleng Kweneng Lobatse* North East North West Selebi-Phikwe* South East Southern Sowa Town*

Independence: 30 September 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day) 30 September (1966)

Constitution: previous 1960 (preindependence); latest adopted March 1965 effective 30 September 1966; amended several times last in 2006 (2006)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA ; Vice President Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA ; Vice President Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term ; election last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); vice president appointed by the president
Election results: Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly ; note - the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi) an advisory body to the National Assembly consists of 35 members - 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs customary courts customary law tribal property and constitutional amendments
Elections: National Assembly elections last held on 24 October 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 46.5% UDC 30.0% BCP 20.4% independents 3.1%; seats by party - BDP 37 UDC 17 BCP 3

Judicial branch
Highest court: Court of Appeal High Court
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70
Subordinate courts: Industrial Court ; Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C CD FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OPCW SACU SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador David John NEWMAN
In the us chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] 244-4,990
In the us FAX: [1] 244-4,164
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Earl R. MILLER
From the us embassy: Embassy Drive Government Enclave Gaborone
From the us mailing address: Embassy Enclave P. O. Box 90 Gaborone
From the us telephone: [267] 395-3,982
From the us FAX: [267] 318-0232

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center; the blue symbolizes water in the form of rain while the black and white bands represent racial harmony

National symbols: zebra; national colors: blue white black

National anthem
Name: 'Fatshe leno la rona'
Lyrics and music: Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE
Note: adopted 1966

Economy overview: Botswana’s diamond dependent economy has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. However economic growth was negative in 2009 with the industrial sector shrinking by 30% after the global crisis reduced demand for Botswana's diamonds. Although the economy recovered in 2010-12 GDP growth slowed in 2012-14. Through fiscal discipline and sound management Botswana transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $16,600 in 2014. 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 70-80% of export earnings and about one-third of the government's revenues. Botswana's heavy reliance on a single luxury export was a critical factor in the sharp economic contraction of 2009. Tourism financial services subsistence farming and cattle raising are other key sectors. According to official government statistics unemployment reached 17.8% in 2009 but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond production within the next 10-15 years overshadows long-term prospects. A major international diamond company signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 to move its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone by the end of 2013. The move has supported the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 121

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 63

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 99

Gross national saving:
Rank: 13

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 49.8%
Government consumption: 18.9%
Investment in fixed capital: 32.2%
Investment in inventories: 1.7%
Exports of goods and services: 51.3%
Imports of goods and services: -53.9%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.9%
Industry: 28.7%
Services: 69.4%

Agriculture products: livestock sorghum maize millet beans sunflowers groundnuts

Industries: diamonds copper nickel salt soda ash potash coal iron ore silver; livestock processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 5.3% (2014 est.)
Rank: 49

Labor force: 1.017 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 144
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 157

Population below poverty line: 30.3% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index: 63 (1993)
Rank: 3

Budget
Revenues: $5.442 billion
Expenditures: $5.164 billion
Surplus or deficit: 1.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 16

Taxes and other revenues: 33.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 74

Public debt:
Rank: 143

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 151

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 42

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 101

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 143

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 111

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 139

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 87

Current account balance:
Rank: 44

Exports:
Rank: 103
Commodities: diamonds copper nickel soda ash meat textiles

Imports:
Rank: 115
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery electrical goods transport equipment textiles fuel and petroleum products wood and paper products metal and metal products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 78

Debt external:
Rank: 143

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 350 million kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 168
Consumption: 3.162 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 130
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 105
Imports: 3.18 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 48
Installed generating capacity: 132,000 kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 169
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 6
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 46
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 158
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 157

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 152
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 79
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 157
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 106

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 120
Products consumption: 15,520 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 141
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 151
Products imports: 19,360 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 106

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 102
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 118
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 59
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 157
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 110

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.919 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 133

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 170,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8
Fixed lines rank: 132
Mobile cellular total: 3.4 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 158
Mobile cellular rank: 131

Telephone system
General assessment: Botswana is participating in regional development efforts; expanding fully digital system with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east as well as a system of open-wire lines microwave radio relays links and radiotelephone communication stations
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity has declined in recent years and now stands at roughly 7 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity now pushing 140 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia Zambia Zimbabwe and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2011)

Broadcast media: 2 TV stations - 1 state-owned and 1 privately owned; privately owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 3 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2007)

Internet
Country code: .bw
Users total: 283,500
Users percent of population: 13.2%
Users rank: 144

Military expenditures:
Rank: 34

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Airports: 74 (2013)
Rank: 70
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 64
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 46
With unpaved runways: 13 (2013)

Railways
Total: 888 km
Narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge
Rank: 93

Roadways
Total: 17,916 km
Note: includes 8,916 km of Public Highway Network roads and 9,000 km of District Council roads (2011)
Rank: 117

Disputes international: none