2020 Edition

Background

In the early 1800s, multiple political entities in what is now Botswana were destabilized or destroyed by a series of conflicts and population movements in southern Africa. By the end of this period, the Tswana ethnic group, who also live across the border in South Africa, had become the most prominent group in the area. In 1852, Tswana forces halted the expansion of white Afrikaner settlers who were seeking to expand their territory northwards into what is now Botswana. In 1885, Great Britain claimed territory that roughly corresponds with modern day Botswana as a protectorate called Bechuanaland. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana, which means "land of the Tswana." More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created an enduring democracy and upper-middle-income economy. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI assumed the presidency in 2018 after the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in 2019, and he is Botswana’s fifth president since independence. 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 rates of HIV/AIDS infection but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Area

land

566,730 sq km

total

581,730 sq km

water

15,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas; almost four times the size of Illinois

Climate

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Manyelanong Hill 1,495 m

lowest point

junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m

mean elevation

1,013 m

Geographic coordinates

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; sparsely populated with most settlement concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the country; geography dominated by the Kalahari Desert, which covers about 70% of the country, although the Okavango Delta brings considerable biodiversity as one of the largest inland deltas in the World

Irrigated land

25 sq km (2014)

Land boundaries

border countries

Namibia 1,544 km; South Africa 1,969 km; Zambia 0.15 km; Zimbabwe 834 km

total

4,347.15 km

Land use

agricultural land

45.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 45.2% (2023 est.)

forest

27.8% (2023 est.)

other

26.6% (2023 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Major aquifers

Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Limpopo (shared with South Africa [s], Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 1,800 km; Okavango river mouth (shared with Angola [s], and Namibia) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Orange (941,351 sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)

Map references

Africa

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

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

the population is primarily concentrated in the east, with a focus in and around the capital of Gaborone and the eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari Desert to the west.

Terrain

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years

28.7% (male 355,583/female 348,863)

15-64 years

65.2% (male 759,210/female 837,752)

65 years and over

6.1% (2024 est.) (male 59,513/female 89,747)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

1.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

5.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

41.5% (2017 est.)

Death rate

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.8 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

11.4 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.9 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

52.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 79.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 92.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 97.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 20.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 7.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

8.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

21.5% national budget (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and people of European ancestry 7%

Gross reproduction rate

1.34 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

14.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

21.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

25.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

27.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.6 years

male

64.4 years

total population

66.4 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

269,000 GABORONE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

28.3 years

male

26 years

total

25.8 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

noun

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Net migration rate

-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9% (2016)

Physician density

0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

1,286,636

male

1,234,898

total

2,521,534 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.32% (2025 est.)

Religions

Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 63% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 86% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 94.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 37% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 14% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 5.1% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2021 est.)

male

12 years (2021 est.)

total

12 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.66 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

5.5% (2025 est.)

male

29.2% (2025 est.)

total

17.1% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

72.9% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

10 districts and 6 town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Phikwe*, South East, Southern, Sowa Town*

Capital

etymology

named after GABORONE (ca. 1825-1931), a chief of the Tlokwa tribe, whose name means "it is not unbecoming"

geographic coordinates

24 38 S, 25 54 E

name

Gaborone

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval in two successive Assembly votes with at least two-thirds majority in the final vote; proposals to amend constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and branches of government, and public services also requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and assent by the president of the republic

history

previous 1960 (pre-independence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Botswana

conventional short form

Botswana

etymology

the name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana," referring to the country's largest ethnic group

former

Bechuanaland

local long form

Republic of Botswana

local short form

Botswana

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Howard A. VAN VRANKEN (since 24 May 2023)

email address and website

ConsularGaborone@state.gov https://bw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone

FAX

[267] 318-0232

mailing address

2170 Gaborone Place, Washington DC 20521-2170

telephone

[267] 395-3982

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Mpho Churchill MOPHUTING (since 18 September 2024)

email address and website

info@botswanaembassy.org http://www.botswanaembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 244-4164

telephone

[1] (202) 244-4990

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024)

election results

BOKO's UDC won 35 seats in the National Assembly, which then selected BOKO as president

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); vice president appointed by the president

expected date of next election

October 2029

head of government

President Duma BOKO (since 1 November 2024)

most recent election date

31 October 2024

Flag

description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe across the middle meaning: the blue symbolizes rainwater, and the black and white bands represent racial harmony

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

30 September 1966 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70

subordinate courts

Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

chamber name

National Assembly

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

October 2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament

most recent election date

10/30/2024

number of seats

69 (61 directly elected; 6 indirectly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) (36); Botswana Congress Party (BCP) (15); Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) (5); Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) (4); Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber

9%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1966

lyrics/music

Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE

title

"Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land)

National coat of arms

the two zebras, the country’s national symbol, support an elephant tusk that represents the country's fauna and a head of sorghum that signifies agriculture; the three wavy blue bands stand for the country’s reliance on water, the cog wheels for industry, and the bull’s head for the cattle industry; the coat of arms also features the national colors of light blue, white, and black; the motto reflects the scarcity of rain in the country: pula means “let there be rain” in Setswana, the national language

National color(s)

light blue, white, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Tsodilo Hills (c); Okavango Delta (n)

total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

zebra

Political parties

Alliance of Progressives or AP  Botswana Congress Party or BCP  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP  Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF  Botswana Peoples Party or BPP  Botswana Republic Party or BRP  Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC (various times the coalition has included the BPP, BCP, BNF and other parties)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

root vegetables, beef, vegetables, sorghum, maize, game meat, milk, watermelons, goat milk, sunflower seeds (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$6.296 billion (2024 est.)

revenues

$5.474 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$314.583 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$232.122 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$116.727 million (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$1.761 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

good economic governance and financial management; diamond-driven growth model declining; rapid poverty reductions; high unemployment, particularly among youth; COVID-19 sharply contracted the economy and recovery is slow; public sector wages have posed fiscal challenges

Exchange rates

Currency

pulas (BWP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

11.456 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

11.087 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

12.369 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

13.596 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

13.563 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$7.861 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$8.914 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$6.398 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, copper ore, insulated wire, carbonates, cattle (2023)

Exports - partners

UAE 27%, India 17%, Belgium 16%, South Africa 8%, USA 7% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

26% (2024 est.)

government consumption

32.1% (2024 est.)

household consumption

45.3% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-40.9% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

28.5% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

7.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.7% (2024 est.)

industry

29.4% (2024 est.)

services

63.5% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.401 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

54.9 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

42.9% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

1.4% (2015 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$9.25 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$8.826 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$7.228 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, diamonds, cars, flavored water, electricity (2023)

Imports - partners

South Africa 65%, Namibia 8%, Canada 5%, China 3%, India 3% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-13.5% (2024 est.)

Industries

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver; beef processing; textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

1.173 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

16.1% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2020

19.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$45.498 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$46.957 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$45.553 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$18,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$18,100 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$4.279 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$4.756 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$3.456 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

23.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

23.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

23.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

48.6% (2024 est.)

male

39.8% (2024 est.)

total

43.9% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.351 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

891,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

300 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

2.242 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.66 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

3.879 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

2 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

1.923 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

758,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

625.694 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

25%

electrification - total population

75.9% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

95.5%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

99.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

32.443 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2023 est.)

total

85,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

2 TV stations, 1 state-owned and 1 privately owned; privately owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 4 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2019)

Internet country code

.bw

Internet users

percent of population

81% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

83,200 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

164 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

4.13 million (2024 est.)

Airports

122 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A2

Railways

narrow gauge

888 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total

888 km (2014)

Military - note

the key responsibilities of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) are defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity on land and in the air, ensuring national security and stability, and aiding civil authorities in support of domestic missions such as disaster relief and anti-poaching; the BDF also participates in regional and international security operations Bechuanaland/Botswana did not have a permanent military during colonial times, with the British colonial administrators relying instead on small, lightly armed constabularies such as the Bechuanaland Mounted Police, the Bechuanaland Border Police, and by the early 1960s, the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); after independence in 1966, Botswana militarized the PMU and gave it responsibility for the country’s defense rather than create a conventional military force; however, turmoil in neighboring countries and numerous cross-border incursions by Rhodesian and South African security forces in the 1960s and 1970s demonstrated that the PMU was inadequate for defending the country and led to the establishment of the BDF in 1977 (2025)

Military and security forces

Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10,000 active Botswana Defense Force (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the BDF has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment, largely of Western/European origin; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of newer armaments from several European countries and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age (men and women) for general recruits and officer candidates; 18-40 for special entrant officers; no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

99 (2023 est.)

refugees

823 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

2.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.079 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

5.897 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources; air pollution

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

144 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

26 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

1.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

841.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

12.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

12.24 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

59.661 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial

24.295 million cubic meters (2022)

municipal

129.327 million cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

210,900 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

21% (2022 est.)