1995 Edition

Area

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

Climate

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: overgrazing, primarily as a result of the expansion of the cattle population; desertification; limited natural fresh water resources natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

International disputes

short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in mid-February 1995 and the parties agreed to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

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%

Location

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Natural resources

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

Note

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

Terrain

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (female 300,598; male 303,333) 15-64 years: 53% (female 398,347; male 344,838) 65 years and over: 4% (female 25,773; male 19,525) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

31.01 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

7.41 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

38 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

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)

Languages

English (official), Setswana

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.56 years male: 60.54 years female: 66.67 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

1,392,414 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

2.36% (1995 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Total fertility rate

3.86 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe

Capital

Gaborone

Constitution

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Digraph

BC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990, 4991

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 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 244-4164

[267] 356947

Flag

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

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

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK)

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal

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

Member of

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

Names

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

National Assembly

elections last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total of which 40 are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 27, BNF 13

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Type

parliamentary republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Howard F. JETER embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982

Agriculture

sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts, beans, cowpeas, sunflower seeds; livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY93/94)

Currency

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

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 million-$6 million in grants; $28.7 million in long-term projects (1992)

Electricity

capacity: 220,000 kW production: 900 million kWh consumption per capita: 694 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

pula (P) per US$1 - 1.7086 (January 1995), 2.6976 (November 1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990)

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1994) commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5% partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

External debt

$344 million (December 1991)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

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

Industrial production

growth rate 4.6% (FY92/93); accounts for about 43% of GDP, including mining

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (1994 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.3 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$3,130 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

1% (1994 est.)

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 supplies only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 5% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle raising predominate. 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 39% in 1994. 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%. Hampered by a still sluggish diamond market in 1994, GDP grew by only 1%.

Unemployment rate

25% (1994 est.)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

26,000 telephones; sparse system; telephone density - 18.67 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: small system of open wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radio communication stations international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 100 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 23 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 62

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

Ports

none

Railroads

total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (1992)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $198 million, 5.2% of GDP (FY93/94) ________________________________________________________________________ BOUVET ISLAND (territory of Norway)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 306,878; males fit for military service 161,376; males reach military age (18) annually 15,403 (1995 est.)