Location of Botswana. Source: Vardion/Wikipedia

Source: CIA World Factbook

Botswana is a landlocked nation in southern Africa to the immediate north of South Africa.

Botswana's major environmental issues include: overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

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 Coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E

Area: 600,370 km² (585,370 km² land and 15,000 km² water)

arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.34% (2005)

Land Boundaries: 4,013 km. Border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime Claims: none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Terrain: Predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest. Its' lowest point is the junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers (513 metres) and its' highest point is Tsodilo Hills (1,489 metres)

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Government

Government Types: Parliamentary Republic

Capital: Gaborone

Independence Date: 30 September 1966 (from UK)

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

International Environmental Agreements

Botswana is party to international agreements on: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, and Wetlands.

People and Society

Population: 1,842,343

Age Structure:

0-14 years: 35.2% (male 329,418/female 318,160)
15-64 years: 60.9% (male 566,239/female 556,286)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 29,165/female 43,055) (2008 est.)

Population Growth Rate: 1.434% (2008 est.)

Birthrate: 22.96 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death Rate: 14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net Migration Rate: 5.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth:  50.16 years (2008 est.)

Total Fertility Rate: 2.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy: 81.2% (male: 80.4% - female: 81.8% [2003 est.])

Water

Total Renewable Water Resources: 14.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater Withdrawal: Total: 0.19 cu km/yr (41% domestic, 18% industrial, 41% agricultural). Per capita: 107 cu m/yr (2000)

Agriculture

Agricultural Products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Irrigated Land: 10 sq km (2003)

Resources

Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver.

Energy

Health

Prevalence Rate of HIV/AIDS in adults: 37.3% (2003 est.)

Conflict

International Disputes: Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and 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 at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary.

Economy

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006-07. 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 nearly $15,000 in 2007. 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 was 23.8% in 2004, 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 (Purchasing Power Parity): $25.68 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (Official Exchange Rate): $12.31 billion (2007 est.)

GDP-Real Growth Rate: 5.4% (2007 est.)

GDP-Per Capita (PPP): $16,400 (2007 est.)

GDP-Composition by Sector:

agriculture: 1.6%
industry: 51.5% (including 36% mining)
services: 46.9% (2006 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line: 30.3% (2003)

Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles

Exports: diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Export Partners: European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)

Imports: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products

Import Partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006)

Economic Aid Recipients: $70.89 million (2005)

Currency: pula (BWP)

Further Reading

1.  CIA World Factbook