Botswana

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.

• overgrazing;
• desertification;
• limited fresh water resources

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

41% (male 321,766; female 318,304)

15-64 years:

55% (male 417,734; female 453,947)

65 years and over:

4% (male 26,436; female 38,283) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.69 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective:

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

conventional long form:

Republic of Botswana

conventional short form:

Botswana

former:

Bechuanaland

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

chief of state:

• President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since NA April 1998);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
• vice president KHAMA is on a one-year leave of absence, effective 1 January 2000, but retains the title of vice president

head of government:

• President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since NA April 1998);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
• vice president KHAMA is on a one-year leave of absence, effective 1 January 2000, but retains the title of vice president

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:

• president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term;
• election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004);
• vice president appointed by the president

election results:

Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 61.3%

• Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE];
• Botswana National Front or BNF [Kenneth KOMA];
• Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Michael DINGAKE];
• Botswana People's Party or BPP [Knight MARIPE]

note: main parties are: BDP, BNF, BCP; other minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Kenneth KOMA, chairman] but did not capture any parliamentary seats;

the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Social Democratic Union, the Independence Freedom Party [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [Gideon KAELO]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kgosi SEEPAPITSO IV

chancery:

1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 244-4990

FAX:

[1] (202) 244-4164

chief of mission:

Ambassador John E. LANGE

embassy:

address NA, Gaborone

mailing address:

P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone:

[267] 353982

FAX:

[267] 356947

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• 100,000 public sector;
• 135,000 private sector, including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South Africa;
• most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1995 est.)

total:

971 km

narrow gauge:

971 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

total:

18,482 km

paved:

4,343 km

unpaved:

14,139 km (1996 est.)

• dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River resolved by the ICJ in favor of Botswana (13 December 1999);
• at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]