1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; in addition, there are 4 town councils - Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Phikwe

Agriculture

accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import up to of 80% of food needs

Airports

total: 101 usable: 90 with permanent-surface runways: 9 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 30

Area

total area: 600,370 sq km land area: 585,370 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Birth rate

32.19 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police

Budget

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY94)

Capital

Gaborone

Climate

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Currency

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Death rate

7.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Digraph

BC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-4990 or 4991

Economic aid

recipient: US aid (1992), $13 million; Norway (1992), $16 million; Sweden (1992), $15.5 million; Germany (1992), $3.6 million; EC/Lome-IV (1992), $3-6 million in grants; $28.7 million in long-term projects (1992)

Electricity

capacity: 220,000 kW production: 901 million kWh (in addition 228,000,000 kWh were imported) consumption per capita: 874 kWh (1992 est.)

Environment

current issues: overgrazing; desertification; water scarcity natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Ethnic divisions

Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%

Exchange rates

pula (P) per US$1 - 3.1309 (January 1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990), 2.0125 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992); election last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Exports

$1.7 billion (f.o.b. 1992) commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5% partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

External debt

$344 million (December 1991)

FAX

(202) 244-4164

[267] 356-947

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Flag

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Highways

total: 11,514 km paved: 1,600 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 1,700 km; improved earth 5,177 km; unimproved earth 3,037 km

House of Chiefs

is a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of chiefs of the 8 principal tribes, 4 elected subchiefs, and 3 members selected by the other 12

Imports

$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products partners: Switzerland, SACU (Southern African Customs Union), UK, US

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK)

Industrial production

growth rate 6.8% (FY91); accounts for about 53% of GDP, including mining

Industries

mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing

Infant mortality rate

39.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14% (1993 est.)

International disputes

short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal

Labor force

428,000 (1992) by occupation: 220,000 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.); 14,300 are employed in various mines in South Africa (March 1992)

Land boundaries

total 4,013 km, Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 75% forest and woodland: 2% other: 21%

Languages

English (official), Setswana

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.05 years male: 60.03 years female: 66.16 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990 est.) total population: 23% male: 32% female: 16%

Location

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 294,603; fit for military service 154,997; reach military age (18) annually 15,156 (1994 est.)

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland

National Assembly

elections last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (38 total of which 34 are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 31, BNF 3, unfilled seats pending new elections 4

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$4,500 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

3% (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

Overview

The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for more than 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs. The driving force behind the rapid economic growth of the 1970s and 1980s has been the mining industry. This sector, mostly on the strength of diamonds, has gone from generating 25% of GDP in 1980 to 50% in 1991. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not agriculture, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. Although diamond production was down slightly in 1992, substantial gains in coal output and manufacturing helped boost the economy. Recovery in sluggish diamond markets in second half 1993 helped Botswana achieve moderate growth of 3% for the year.

Political parties and leaders

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Sir Ketumile MASIRE; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA; Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO

Population

1,359,352 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

2.45% (1994 est.)

Railroads

712 km 1.067-meter gauge

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radio-communications stations; 26,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 7 AM, 13 FM, no TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Terrain

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Total fertility rate

4.06 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

parliamentary republic

Unemployment rate

25% (1993 est.)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Howard JETER embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353-982