Botswana

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond 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:

40% (male 319,988; female 316,961)

15-64 years:

55.8% (male 428,638; female 458,777)

65 years and over:

4.2% (male 26,965; female 39,903) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.68 male(s)/female

total population:

0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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 13 July 1998);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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 - 54.3%

• High Court;
• Court of Appeal;
• Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

• Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE];
• Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO];
• Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA];
• Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]

note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO],

the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kgosi SEEPAPITSO IV

chancery:

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

FAX:

[1] (202) 244-4164

telephone:

[1] (202) 244-4990

chief of mission:

Ambassador Joseph HUGGING

embassy:

address NA, Gaborone

mailing address:

Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone:

[267] 353982

FAX:

[267] 312782

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash;
• livestock processing;
• textiles

general assessment:

the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development

domestic:

small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast

international:

• two international exchanges;
• digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

total:

888 km

narrow gauge:

888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)

total:

10,217 km

paved:

5,620 km

unpaved:

4,597 km (1999)