Botswana

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Botswana's Information


Capital	Gaborone
Languages	Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%
Religion	Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	30 September 1966 (from the UK)
Area	581,730.00 km²
Water Area	15,000.00 km²
Land Area	566,730.00 km²
Population	2,209,208.00
Location	Southern Africa, north of South Africa
No. Bordering Countries	4
Bordering Countries	Namibia 1,544 km, South Africa 1,969 km, Zambia 0.15 km, Zimbabwe 834 km
GDP(PPP)	$35,900,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$16,900.00 (USD)
Export Commodities	Its main exports are diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, and beef.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include foodstuffs, machinery, and electrical goods.
Climate	Semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain	Predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Where is Botswana?

Located in Southern Africa, Botswana has a 4,347.00 km border with Namibia (1,544 km), South Africa (1,969 km), Zambia (0.15 km) and Zimbabwe (834 km).

Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana and the city covers an area of 169 square kilometres and is situated in the South-East District of Botswana. The climate of the area can be classified as a hot semi-arid climate, and throughout most of the year, Gaborone is very sunny. To give the reader an idea of the sort of weather experienced in Gaborone, there are an average seventy-four days per year with temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Additionally, on average, there are 196 days per year with temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). Gaborone has a population of 231,626, but this figure is based on the 2011 national census. The surrounding areas include another 190,000 people, bringing the population of the region up to 422,000 people. Because the city is close to a fresh water supply and was not controlled by any tribal force at the time, it was decided in the 1960s that Gaborone would become the capital once independence was achieved in 1966. The area was officially founded, and development began in 1964.

Geography

Botswana has a mean elevation of 1,013 m above sea level.

It has a semiarid climate with warm winters and hot summers. Its terrain is predominantly flat.

Population

Botswana has a population of 2,209,208 making it the 144th largest in the world.

Setswana, Sekalanga, Shekgalagadi, and English are all widely spoken. The major ethnic groups are Tswana and Kalanga. The population is mostly Christian.

The official language of Botswana is English which is influenced by British colonial rule from 1885-1966. The majority of written communication, as well as official business and political communication, is expressed in English. Although English is the official language, Setswana, or Tswana, is the most spoken language in Botswana. The Setswana language has official status in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Minority languages in Botswana include Kalanga, Kgalagadi, Shona, Mbukushu, and Ndebele. 2.8% of citizens speak English as their first language, and a small number of residents also speak Afrikaans. Botswana is also home to smaller native and tribal languages. Over 90% of the population draws from the Bantu family of dialects for their native language. Setswana, the most prevalent language in the country, is spoken by roughly 77% of the population (1.73 million people) but many of these individuals will also understand English and English remains the language of most of the business, education, industrial, and political activity in Botswana. The Setswana language is mostly a spoken dialect and locals appreciate the effort to communicate in the local tongue.

Government

Botswana is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Its constitution was last ratified in 1966.

Botswana's political system can be described as a representative parliamentary democratic republic since independence in 1966. The country has maintained a tradition of stable democracy as well as being one of the least corrupt countries on the continent. The Parliament of Botswana is located in the capital city of Gaborone which is located in the south-east of the country. The parliament is known as the National Assembly and has 61 members representing the nine districts of the nation. 57 members of the National Assembly are directly elected in single-member constituencies using the simple-majority system and their terms last five years. Four members are co-opted by a secret ballot of the rest of the Assembly, and the President and Attorney-general are elected by the National Assembly from the representatives already holding office.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Botswana's GDP is $35,900,000,000.00 (USD) with $16,900.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 122nd largest economy and its citizens the 95th richest in the world. The currency of Botswana is the Pula (BWP).

Its major imports include foodstuffs, machinery, and electrical goods.

Flag

The national flag of Botswana consists of a light blue banner which is cut horizontally in the centre by a black stripe that has a thin white outline. The flag is unique for an African flag because it does not use any Pan-African colours (red, yellow, green) and also the colours of the flag do not have any political connotations. This flag was officially adopted on 30 September 1966, the same day that the country gained her formal independence from Britain. Previously, there was no national flag, and the nation used the flag of the United Kingdom as the de facto banner. The coat of arms of Botswana was adopted in January of 1966 and is another accepted national symbol. The current flag was explicitly designed to contrast the flag of South Africa, a neighboring country under an oppressive apartheid regime. The black stripe with white framing epitomises the racial diversity and equality in Botswana between Africans and Europeans, something not present in South Africa at the time.