Botswana

parliamentary republicIndependence 30 September 1966 (from UK

Botswana as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalGaborone

Area600,370 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1.22 million July 1990 · 2.52m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.53% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 62.54 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.8 children per woman 1990 · 2.73 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

43 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 27.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,450 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 5.8% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 600,370 km2

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 75%forest and woodland 2%other 21%includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

600,370km2

land area: 585,370 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries

4,013km total

Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Disputes

short section of the boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement

Terrain

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver, natural gas

Environment

rains in early 1988 broke six years of drought that had severely affected the important cattle industry;
overgrazing;
desertification

Note

landlocked; very long boundary with South Africa

People

14 fields

Population

1,224,527

(July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

37Death

9Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Batswana 95%Kalanga about 4%white about 1%Basarwa; and Kgalagadi

Religion

indigenous beliefs 50%Christian 50%

Literacy

60%

Nationality

noun and adjective--Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

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)

Government

Parliamentary republic

17 fields

National Assembly, 34 seats, elected 7 October 1989one dot, one seat

(34 total, 30 elected) BDP 31BNF 3

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

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK; formerly Bechuanaland)

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law;
judicial review limited to matters of interpretation;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal 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)

Political parties and leaders

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Quett Masire;
Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth Koma;
Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight Maripe;
Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai Mpho;
Botswana Progressive Union (BPU), Daniel Kwele

Suffrage

universal at age 21 President--last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994);
results--President Quett K. J. Masire was reelected by the National Assembly;
National Assembly--last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(34 total, 30 elected) BDP 31, BNF 3

Communists

no known Communist organization; Koma of BNF has long history of Communist contacts

Member of

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 representation

Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE;
Chancery at Suite 404, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 244-4990 or 4991;
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 [267] 353982 through 353984

Flag

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

Economy

The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.87billion

per capita $1,600; real growth rate 8.4% (FY88)

Inflation, consumer prices

11.45%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1987)

External debt

$700million

(December 1989 est.)

Exports $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

diamonds

88%copper and nickel

5%meat

also cattle, animal products; partners--Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern African Customs Union

Budget

Revenues

$1,235 millionExpenditures

$1,080 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (FY90 est.)

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.

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

Industrial production

growth rate 16.8% (FY86)

Electricity

217,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced, 510 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for only 5% of GDP;
subsistence farming predominates;
cattle raising supports 50% of the population;
must import large share of food needs

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $242 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.6 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $24 million

Currency

pula (plural--pula); 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Exchange 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)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 99 total, 87 usable

permanent-surface runways

8runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

2runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

11,514Railroads

712

Highways: ; 1,600 km paved; 1,700 km crushed stone or gravel, 5,177 km improved earth, 3,037 km unimproved earth

Highways

11,514 km total;
1,600 km paved;
1,700 km crushed stone or gravel, 5,177 km improved earth, 3,037 km unimproved earth

Civil air

6 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and a few radiocommunication stations;
17,900 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 3 FM, no TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, Air Wing, Botswana Police

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49

249,480fit for military service

131,304reach military age (18) annually

14,363

Defense expenditures

2.2%of GNP

(1987)

Branches