from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Botswana
Introduction
Background: 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
Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic 22 00 S, 24 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Texas
comparative:
Land total: 4,013 km
boundaries: border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840
km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland;
Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers
extremes: 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,
resources: iron ore, silver
Land use: arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.34% (2005)
Irrigated 10 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
hazards: west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which
can obscure visibility
Environment - overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water
current resources
issues:
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of
note: the country
People
Population: 1,639,833
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into
account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS;
this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
rates, and changes in the distribution of population by
age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006
est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 319,531/female 309,074)
15-64 years: 57.9% (male 460,692/female 488,577)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,374/female 38,585)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 19.4 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 20 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.04% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 23.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 29.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population
rate: note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into
South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic
opportunities (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 54.92 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 52.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 33.74 years
expectancy at male: 33.9 years
birth: female: 33.56 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 37.3% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 350,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 33,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)
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%
Religions: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified
0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English
2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001
census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 82.4% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland
Government parliamentary republic
type:
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 9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central,
divisions: Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi,
Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest,
Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)
National Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
holiday:
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law;
judicial review limited to matters of interpretation;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1
branch: 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 G. 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 indirectly elected for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held
20 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009); vice
president appointed by the president
election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president;
percent of National Assembly vote - 52%
Legislative bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a
branch: largely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent
members consisting of the chiefs of the principal
tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year
terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members
selected by the other 12 members) and the National
Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by
popular vote, 4 are 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 30
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%,
BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP
44, BNF 12, BCP 1
Judicial High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one
branch: in each district)
Political Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu
parties and SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa
leaders: KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus
G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse
MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS Movement of
Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF
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 NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
organization ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
participation: IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
representation chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
in the US: Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN
representation embassy: address NA, Gaborone
from the US: mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90,
Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 312782
Flag light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe
description: in the center
Economy
Economy - Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest
overview: economic growth rates since independence in 1966.
Through fiscal discipline and sound management,
Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest
countries in the world to a middle-income country with
a per capita GDP of $10,000 in 2005. 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 and for 70-80% of export earnings.
Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and
cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside,
the government must deal with high rates of
unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is
23.8%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%.
HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the
world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic
gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining
production overshadows long-term prospects.
GDP $17.53 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $9.046 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $10,700 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 2.4%
composition by industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining)
sector: services: 50.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004)
Labor force - agriculture: NA%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment 23.8% (2004)
rate:
Population 30.3% (2003)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 63 (1993)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 8.6% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $3.766 billion
expenditures: $3.767 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 6.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
products: groundnuts
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash;
livestock processing; textiles
Industrial 7.5% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 891 million kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 2.641 billion kWh (2004)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2002)
exports:
Electricity - 1.39 billion kWh (2002)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 12,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: 16,000 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $1.584 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $3.68 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
commodities:
Exports - European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern
partners: African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004)
Imports: $3.37 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
commodities: equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood
and paper products, metal and metal products
Imports - Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%,
partners: Zimbabwe 4% (2004)
Reserves of $6.309 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $519 million (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $73 million (1995)
recipient:
Currency pula (BWP)
(code):
Currency code: BWP
Exchange pulas per US dollar - 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004),
rates: 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 132,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 823,100 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: the system is expanding with the
system: 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: country code - 267; two international
exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to
Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 252,720 (2000)
Television 1 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 31,000 (1997)
Internet .bw
country code:
Internet 5,499 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 11 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 60,000 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 85 (2006)
Airports - total: 10
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 75
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 55
under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Railways: total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 25,233 km
paved: 8,867 km
unpaved: 16,366 km (2003)
Military
Military Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006)
branches:
Military 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service;
service age the official qualifications for determining minimum age
and are unknown (2001)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 350,649
available for females age 18-49: 361,642 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 136,322
for military females age 18-49: 136,315 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 21,103
reaching females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $325.5 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 3.4% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve
international: small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip,
including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti
River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's
planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam
at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric
fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to
find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has
long supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections
to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge
over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing
their short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia
boundary