Botswana

parliamentary republicIndependence 30 September 1966 (from UK)

Botswana as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 113 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalGaborone
LocationSouthern Africa, north of South Africa
1994

Every edition of Botswana

Populationas each edition published it
1.36 million July 1994 est. · 1.22m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.45% 1994 est. · 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
4.06 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
39.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 43 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,500 1993 est. · $2,450 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3% 1993 est. · 5.8% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

22 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
4,013km
total · Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Irrigated land
20sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

600,370 sq km

land area

585,370 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Texas

International disputes

  • 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

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

arable land

2%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

75%

forest and woodland

2%

other

21%

current issues

  • overgrazing;
  • desertification;
  • water scarcity

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Note

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People

21 fields
Population
1,359,352
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.45% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
32.19Death
7.72Net migration
0
Labor force
428,000
(1992)
Literacy
15
age · and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

39.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

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.)

noun

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic divisions

Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages

English (official), Setswana

total population

23%

male

32%

female

16%

by occupation

  • 220,000 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.);
  • 14,300 are employed in various mines in South Africa (March 1992)

Government

Parliamentary republic

30 fields

Legislature, 38 seatsone dot, one seat

(38 total of which 34 are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 31BNF 3unfilled seats pending new elections 4

conventional long form

Republic of Botswana

conventional short form

Botswana

former

Bechuanaland

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

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

Constitution

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

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

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 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

  • Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Sir Ketumile MASIRE;
  • Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA;
  • Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE;
  • Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO

Member of

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE

chancery

Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 244-4990 or 4991

FAX

(202) 244-4164

chief of mission

Ambassador Howard JETER

embassy

address NA, Gaborone

mailing address

P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone

[267] 353-982

FAX

[267] 356-947

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. | Agriculture today provides a livelihood for more than 80% of the | population, but produces only about 50% of food needs.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$4,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
3%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 6.8% (FY91); accounts for about 53% of GDP, including mining
Unemployment rate
25%
(1993 est.)

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.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$1.7 billion

expenditures

$1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY94)

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

External debt

$344 million (December 1991)

capacity

220,000 kW

production

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

consumption per capita

874 kWh (1992 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • 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

recipient

  • US aid (1992), $13 million;
  • Norway (1992), $16 million;
  • Sweden (1992), $15.5 million;
  • Germany (1992), $3.6 million;
  • EC/Lome-IV (1992), $3-6 million in grants;
  • $28.7 million in long-term projects (1992)

Currency

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

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)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

11 fields

Railroads

712 km 1.067-meter gauge

total

11,514 km

paved

1,600 km

unpaved

  • crushed stone, gravel 1,700 km;
  • improved earth 5,177 km;
  • unimproved earth 3,037 km

total

101

usable

90

with permanent-surface runways

9

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

1

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

30

Telecommunications

  • the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radio-communications stations;
  • 26,000 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 7 AM, 13 FM, no TV;
  • 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana | National Police

4 fields

Branches

Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 294,603;
  • fit for military service 154,997;
  • reach military age (18) annually 15,156 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Affiliation

(territory of Norway)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Botswana.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/botswana/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →