Botswana
Republic of Botswana
Capital: Gaborone
History
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable 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
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
581,730
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
4,013
km
|
| Border Countries |
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km |
| Coastline |
0
km
|
| Terrain |
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest |
| Minimum Elevation |
513
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
1,489
m
|
| Climate |
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers |
| Natural Resources |
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver |
| Arable Land |
0.45% |
| Permanent Crops |
0% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$4.55 billion |
| Export Items |
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles |
| Export Partners |
No data |
| Imports |
$6.2 billion |
| Import Items |
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products |
| Import Partners |
No data |
People
| Population |
2,127,825 |
| Population Growth |
1.35% |
| Ethnic Groups |
Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% |
| Religion |
Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census) |
| Life Expectancy |
54.47 years |
| Infant Mortality |
1.02 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
2.3 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
