Page last updated on December 17, 2013
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.
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
total: 581,730 sq km
country comparison to the world: 48
land: 566,730 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
arable land: 0.45%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.55% (2011)
total: 0.19 cu km/yr (42%/19%/39%)
per capita: 107.3 cu m/yr (2005)
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources
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
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%
Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English (official) 2.1%, other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
2,127,825 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 360,053/female 346,691)
15-24 years: 21.8% (male 229,713/female 233,546)
25-54 years: 36.7% (male 411,019/female 370,395)
55-64 years: 4.3% (male 40,639/female 51,305)
65 years and over: 4% (male 33,868/female 50,596) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 59.1 %
youth dependency ratio: 53.3 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 %
potential support ratio: 17.3 (2013)
total: 22.7 years
male: 22.6 years
female: 22.7 years (2013 est.)
1.35% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
21.69 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
4.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 23
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2013 est.)
urban population: 61.7% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.07% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
GABORONE (capital) 202,000 (2011)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
160 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 62
total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 145
male: 10.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 54.47 years
country comparison to the world: 205
male: 55.98 years
female: 52.92 years (2013 est.)
2.41 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
52.8%
note: percent of women aged 12-49 (2007/08)
5.1% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 141
0.34 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
1.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)
24.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
320,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
5,800 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2013)
11.2% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 128
11.2% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 65
7.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 15
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.1%
male: 84.6%
female: 85.6% (2011 est.)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2006)
total number: 45,036
percentage: 9 %
note: data represents children ages 7-17 (2006 est.)
total: 13.6%
country comparison to the world: 94
male: 13.2%
female: 14% (2000)
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland
name: Gaborone
geographic coordinates: 24 38 S, 25 54 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Pikwe*, South East, Southern
30 September 1966 (from the UK)
Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
previous 1960 (preindependence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966; amended several times, last in 2006 (2006)
mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012); 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 Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
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
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 five-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%, BAM 2.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4, BAM 1, other 1
highest court(s): Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in three districts); Magistrates Courts (one in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court
Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]; Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Gomolemo MOTSWALEDI]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]; 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]
First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)
other: diamond mining companies
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Tebelelo Mazile SERETSE (since 16 February 2011)
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
chief of mission: Ambassador Michelle D. GAVIN (since 15 June 2011)
embassy: Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone
mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone: [267] 395-3982
FAX: [267] 318-0232
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
name: "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land)
lyrics/music: Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE
note: adopted 1966
Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. However, economic growth was negative in 2009, with the industrial sector shrinking by 30%, after the global crisis reduced demand for Botswana's diamonds. Although the economy recovered in 2010, GDP growth has again slowed. 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 $16,800 in 2012. 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 one-third 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. According to official government statistics, unemployment reached 17.8% in 2009, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond production within the next two decades overshadows long-term prospects. A major international diamond company signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 to move its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone by the end of 2013. The move may support Botswana's downstream diamond industry.
$32.27 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$14.23 billion (2012 est.)
4.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$15,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
28.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
household consumption: 53.5%
government consumption: 19.2%
investment in fixed capital: 34.8%
investment in inventories: -0.4%
exports of goods and services: 44.5%
imports of goods and services: -51.6%
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 38.6%
services: 59.5% (2012 est.)
livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver; livestock processing; textiles
-1.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
1.288 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
17.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
63 (1993)
country comparison to the world: 3
revenues: $5.508 billion
expenditures: $5.393 billion (2012 est.)
38.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
0.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
17.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
7.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
9.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
11% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$1.358 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$7.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
$2.111 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$4.44 billion (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 88
$-795.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$6.011 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
$7.918 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products
$7.628 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
$2.443 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
pulas (BWP) per US dollar -
429.6 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
3.118 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
2.985 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
132,000 kW (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 104
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
15,420 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
19,360 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 111
3.843 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
160,500 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 134
3.082 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 129
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 pushing 140 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) (2011)
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)
1,806 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 163
120,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 154
74 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 71
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 64
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 46
under 914 m:
total: 888 km
country comparison to the world: 93
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
total: 17,916 km
country comparison to the world: 117
note: includes 8,916 km of Public Highway Network roads (6,116 km paved and 2,800 km unpaved) and other 9,000 km of District Council roads (2011)
Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Wing Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2013)
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
males age 16-49: 557,647
females age 16-49: 531,095 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 340,949
females age 16-49: 302,332 (2010 est.)
male: 23,649
female: 23,063 (2010 est.)
2.8% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 43
