Botswana
Republic of Botswana
parliamentary republicIndependence 30 September 1966 (from the UK)
Botswana as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 141 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic 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.
Geography
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
20 fieldsLand useshare of 581,730 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.19 cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%)
- per capita:
- 107 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Religions(2001 census)
Nationality
- noun:
- Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
- adjective:
- Motswana (singular), 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%, other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Net migration rate
4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 19 note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2011 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.68 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne disease:
- malaria (2009)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 57 seatsone dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Botswana
- conventional short form:
- Botswana
- local long form:
- Republic of Botswana
- local short form:
- Botswana
- former:
- Bechuanaland
Capital
- name:
- Gaborone
- geographic coordinates:
- 24 45 S, 25 55 E
- time difference:
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008);
- Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 35-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 27 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, of which 22 are indirectly elected with the remaining 5 appointed by the President) and the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- National Assembly elections last held on 16 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - BDP 53.3%, BNF 21.9%, BCP 19.2%, 2.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4, BAM 1, other 1
Political parties and leaders
- Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];
- Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO];
- Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE];
- Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Gomolemo MOTSWALEDI];
- Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO];
- Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Bernard BALIKANI];
- MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba JOINA];
- New Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];
the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization);
- Pitso Ya Ba Tswana;
- Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)
- other:
- diamond mining companies
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Tabelelo Mazile SERETSE
- chancery:
- 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 244-4990
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 244-4164
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Michelle D. GAVIN
- embassy:
- Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone
- mailing address:
- Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
- telephone:
- [267] 395-3982
- FAX:
- [267] 395-6947
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 anthem
- name:
- "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land)
- lyrics/music:
- Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE
note: adopted 1966
Economy
49 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2009 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth fell below 5% in 2007-08, and turned sharply negative in 2009, with industry falling nearly 30%. 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 $13,100 in 2010.
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 half 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. Although unemployment was 7.5% in 2007 according to official reports, unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production within the next two decades overshadows long-term prospects.
Central bank discount rate
9.5% (31 December 2010 est.) · 10% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Commercial bank prime lending rate
11.46% (31 December 2010 est.) · 13.76% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Stock of narrow money
$1.438 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.065 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Stock of broad money
$6.654 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $5.802 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Stock of domestic credit
$1.466 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $122.6 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Industries
- diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver;
- livestock processing;
- textiles
Current account balance
-$340.2 million (2010 est.) · -$543 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Imports - 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
$7.885 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $8.704 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Debt - external
$2.499 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.617 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Exchange rates
pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7413 (2010) · 7.1551 (2009) · 6.7907 (2008) · 6.2035 (2007) · 5.8447 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone 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 exceeds 100 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 (Indian Ocean) (2010)
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)
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Airports - with paved runways
total: 9; 2,438 to 3,047 m:; 2; 1,524 to 2,437 m:; 6; 914 to 1,523 m:; 1 (2010)
Military
Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2011)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2011)
Military service age and obligation
18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; official minimum age is unknown (2001)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Botswana.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/botswana/2011.