Botswana

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 coordinates

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 581,730 sq km
country comparison to the world: 48 land:566,730 sq km
water:15,000 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries

total: 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)

Climate

semiarid

warm winters and hot summers

Terrain

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland

Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point:Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use

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

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

14.7 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.19cu km/yr (41%/18%/41%)
per capita:107cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Environment – current issues

overgrazing

desertification

limited freshwater resources

Environment – international agreements

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

Geography – note

landlocked

population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People and Society

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%

Languages

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

Religions

Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

Population

2,065,398 (July 2011 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.9% (male 356,346/female 343,452)
15-64 years:62.2% (male 649,931/female 634,998)
65 years and over:3.9% (male 32,542/female 48,129) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 22.3 years
male:22.2 years
female:22.4 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.656% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Birth rate

22.31 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76

Death rate

10.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

Net migration rate

4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 19 note:there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2011 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 61% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:2.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

GABORONE (capital) 196,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.68 male(s)/female
total population:1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

190 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.14 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 142 male:11.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female:10.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 58.05 years
country comparison to the world: 191 male:58.78 years
female:57.3 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.5 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

Health expenditures

10.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 26

Physicians density

0.336 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 134

Hospital bed density

1.81 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 109

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 90% of population
total: 95% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1% of population
rural: 10% of population
total: 5% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 74% of population
rural: 39% of population
total: 60% of population
unimproved:
urban: 26% of population
rural: 61% of population
total: 40% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

24.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

320,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18

HIV/AIDS – deaths

5,800 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:malaria (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

10.7% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 64

Education expenditures

8.9% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 8

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:81.2%
male:80.4%
female:81.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years
male:12 years
female:12 years (2007)

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 type

parliamentary republic

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 divisions

9 districts and 5 town councils*

Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence

30 September 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution

March 1965

effective 30 September 1966

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008)

Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008)

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 Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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

Legislative branch

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 5-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%, 2.3%, other 3.3%

seats by party – BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4, BAM 1, other 1

Judicial branch

High Court

Court of Appeal

Magistrates’ Courts (one in each district)

Political parties and leaders

Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]

Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO]

Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]

Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Gomolemo MOTSWALEDI]

Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization)

Pitso Ya Ba Tswana

Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)
other:diamond mining companies

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tabelelo Mazile SERETSE
chancery:1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:[1] (202) 244-4990
FAX:[1] (202) 244-4164

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michelle D. GAVIN
embassy:Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone
mailing address:Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone:[267] 395-3982
FAX:[267] 395-6947

Flag description

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

National symbol(s)

zebra

National anthem

name: “Fatshe leno la rona” (Our Land)
lyrics/music:Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE
note:adopted 1966

Economy

Economy – overview

Botswana has maintained one of the world’s highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth fell below 5% in 2007-08, and turned sharply negative in 2009, with industry falling nearly 30%. 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 $13,100 in 2010. 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 half 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. Although unemployment was 7.5% in 2007 according to official reports, unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana’s impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production within the next two decades overshadows long-term prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$28.49 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110 $26.24 billion (2009 est.)
$27.24 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.03 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

8.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12 -3.7% (2009 est.)
3.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$14,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83 $13,200 (2009 est.)
$14,000 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 2.1%
industry:45.8%
services:52% (2009 est.)

Labor force

1.225 million formal sector employees (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: NA%
industry:NA%
services:NA%

Unemployment rate

7.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Population below poverty line

30.3% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Distribution of family income – Gini index

63 (1993)
country comparison to the world: 5

Investment (gross fixed)

25.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

Budget

revenues: $4.656 billion
expenditures:$5.638 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

33.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Public debt

19.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110 17.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177 8.1% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

9.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31 10% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.46% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74 13.76% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.438 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129 $1.065 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$6.654 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115 $5.802 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.466 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139 $122.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.076 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 88 $3.991 billion (31 December 2009)
$3.556 billion (31 December 2008)

Agriculture – products

livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

livestock processing

textiles

Industrial production growth rate

7.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity – production

593 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity – consumption

2.85 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

1.959 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Oil – consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Oil – imports

15,590 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Current account balance

-$340.2 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98 -$543 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$4.591 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112 $3.435 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Imports

$4.767 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118 $3.998 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.885 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75 $8.704 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$2.499 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135 $1.617 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

pulas (BWP) per US dollar -
6.7413 (2010)
7.1551 (2009)
6.7907 (2008)
6.2035 (2007)
5.8447 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

78 (2010)
country comparison to the world:71

Airports – with paved runways

total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:6
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 69
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:52
under 914 m:13 (2010)

Railways

total: 888 km
country comparison to the world: 93 narrow gauge:888 km 1.067-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 25,798 km
country comparison to the world: 103 paved:8,410 km
unpaved:17,388 km (2005)

Military

Military branches

Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service

official minimum age is unknown (2001)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 557,647
females age 16-49:531,095 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 340,949
females age 16-49:302,332 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 23,649
female:23,063 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 38

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

none