1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

22 00 S, 24 00 E -- Southern Africa, north of South Africa Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Texas

land area

585,370 sq km

total area

600,370 sq km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

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 January 1996 and the parties have agreed to refer the matter to the ICJ

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

total

4,013 km

Land use

arable land

2%

forest and woodland

2%

meadows and pastures

75%

other

21%

permanent crops

0%

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

Terrain

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

highest point

Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m

lowest point

junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 42% (male 317,254; female 309,617) 15-64 years: 54% (male 374,572; female 419,991) 65 years and over: 4% (male 22,314; female 33,882) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

33.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

17.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), Setswana

Life expectancy at birth

female

47.11 years (1996 est.)

male

44.94 years

total population

46.01 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

59.9%

male

80.5%

total population

69.8%

Nationality

adjective

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

noun

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

1,477,630 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.63% (1996 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*,Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Phikwe*, South-East, Southern,

Capital

Gaborone

Constitution

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Data code

BC

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Archibald MOGWE

telephone

[1] (202) 244-4990, 4991

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980) was elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly; election last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992) was 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 the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12

Independence

30 September 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

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

Name of country

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, 40 elected and 4 appointed by the majority party) 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 of government

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 (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$1.7 billion

Currency

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $189 million (1993)

Economic 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 sector is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. 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. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 21%. Hampered by a still sluggish diamond market in 1994 and 1995, GDP grew by only 1% in both years.

Electricity

capacity

220,000 kW

consumption per capita

694 kWh (1993)

production

900 million kWh

Exchange rates

pula (P) per US$1 - 2.8305 (January 1996), 2.7716 (1995), 2.6831 (1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991)

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1994)

commodities

diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5%

partners

Switzerland, UK, Southern African Customs Union (SACU),

External debt

$691 million (1994)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

5%

industry

NA%

services

NA% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita

$3,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1% (1995 est.)

Imports

$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities

foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products

partners

Switzerland, Southern African Customs Union (SACU), UK, US

Industrial production growth rate

4.6% (FY92/93)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (1994 est.)

Labor force

428,000 (1992)

by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

21% (1995 est.)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $199 million, 5.2% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

334,177

males fit for military service

175,471

males reach military age (18) annually

17,088 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

sparse system

domestic

small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations

international

microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones

19,109 (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1988 est.)

Televisions

13,800 (1993 est.) Defense