2021 Edition

Background

Seeking to stop the incorporation of their land into Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) or the Union of South Africa, in 1885, three tribal chiefs traveled to Great Britain and successfully lobbied the British Government to put "Bechuanaland" under UK protection. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana. More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric MASISI assumed the presidency in April 2018 following the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in October 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

Tsodilo Hills 1,489 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; population concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the country

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Namibia 1544 km, South Africa 1969 km, Zambia 0.15 km, Zimbabwe 834 km

total

4,347.15 km

Land use

agricultural land

45.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 45.2% (2018 est.)

forest

19.8% (2018 est.)

other

34.4% (2018 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 kmnote – [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 captial of Gaborone, and the far central-eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari to the west as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years

30.54% (male 357,065/female 350,550)

15-24 years

18.31% (male 208,824/female 215,462)

25-54 years

39.67% (male 434,258/female 484,922)

55-64 years

5.92% (male 59,399/female 77,886)

65 years and over

5.56% (male 53,708/female 75,159) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

20.6 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

67.4% (2017)

Current Health Expenditure

5.9% (2018)

Death rate

9.12 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Botswana has experienced one of the most rapid declines in fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. The total fertility rate has fallen from more than 5 children per woman in the mid 1980s to approximately 2.4 in 2013. The fertility reduction has been attributed to a host of factors, including higher educational attainment among women, greater participation of women in the workforce, increased contraceptive use, later first births, and a strong national family planning program. Botswana was making significant progress in several health indicators, including life expectancy and infant and child mortality rates, until being devastated by the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1990s.Today Botswana has the third highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the world at approximately 22%, however comprehensive and effective treatment programs have reduced HIV/AIDS-related deaths. The combination of declining fertility and increasing mortality rates because of HIV/AIDS is slowing the population aging process, with a narrowing of the youngest age groups and little expansion of the oldest age groups. Nevertheless, having the bulk of its population (about 60%) of working age will only yield economic benefits if the labor force is healthy, educated, and productively employed.Batswana have been working as contract miners in South Africa since the 19th century. Although Botswana’s economy improved shortly after independence in 1966 with the discovery of diamonds and other minerals, its lingering high poverty rate and lack of job opportunities continued to push workers to seek mining work in southern African countries. In the early 1970s, about a third of Botswana’s male labor force worked in South Africa (lesser numbers went to Namibia and Zimbabwe). Not until the 1980s and 1990s, when South African mining companies had reduced their recruitment of foreign workers and Botswana’s economic prospects had improved, were Batswana increasingly able to find job opportunities at home.Most Batswana prefer life in their home country and choose cross-border migration on a temporary basis only for work, shopping, visiting family, or tourism. Since the 1970s, Botswana has pursued an open migration policy enabling it to recruit thousands of foreign workers to fill skilled labor shortages. In the late 1990s, Botswana’s prosperity and political stability attracted not only skilled workers but small numbers of refugees from neighboring Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.3

potential support ratio

13.8 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

61.1

youth dependency ratio

53.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94% of population

improved: total

total: 96.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.8% of population

Education expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,100 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

370,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.8 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

23.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

28.38 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.97 deaths/1,000 live births

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

67.32 years (2021 est.)

male

63.21 years

total population

65.24 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88.9% (2015)

male

88%

total population

88.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

269,000 GABORONE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

144 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

26.7 years (2020 est.)

male

24.5 years

total

25.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

noun

Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Net migration rate

2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9% (2016)

Physicians density

0.53 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

2,350,667 (July 2021 est.)

note

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

Population distribution

the population is primarily concentrated in the east with a focus in and around the captial of Gaborone, and the far central-eastern city of Francistown; population density remains low in other areas in the country, especially in the Kalahari to the west as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.43% (2021 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: 60.8% of population

improved: total

total: 82.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 39.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 17.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.1% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2013)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.97 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.9 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.76 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.42 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

47.8% (2020 est.)

male

44.9%

total

46.2%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

71.6% of total population (2021)

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 revered kgosi (chief) of the Tlokwa tribe, part of the larger Tswana ethnic group

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

amendments

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; amended several times, last in 2016

history

previous 1960 (preindependence); 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 major ethnic group

former

Bechuanaland

local long form

Republic of Botswana

local short form

Botswana

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Craig Lewis CLOUD (since 2 April 2019)

email address and website

ConsularGabarone@state.govhttps://bw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

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

FAX

[267] 318-0232

mailing address

2170 Gabarone 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 Onkokame Kitso MOKAILA (since 17 September 2020)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta

email address and website

info@botswanaembassy.orghttp://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 Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008) stepped down on 1 April 2018 having completed the constitutionally mandated 10-year term limit; upon his retirement, then Vice President MASISI became president; national elections held on 23 October 2019 gave MASISI'S BPD 38 seats in the National Assembly which then selected MASISI as President

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 October 2014 (next to be held on 31 October 2019); vice president appointed by the president

head of government

President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

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

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, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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 and also customary and common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 4 nominated by the president and indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the rest of the National Assembly, and 2 ex-officio members - the president and attorney general; elected members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), an advisory body to the National Assembly, consists of 35 members - 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes, 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs, customary courts, customary law, tribal property, and constitutional amendments

election results

percent of vote by party - BDP 52.7%, UDC 35.9%, BPF 4.4%, AP 5.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - BDP 38, UDC 15, BPF 3, AP 1; composition - NA

elections

last held on 23 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE

name

"Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land)

note

note: adopted 1966

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

zebra; national colors: blue, white, black

Political parties and leaders

Alliance of Progressives or AP [Ndaba GAOLATHE]Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO]Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Mokgweetsi MASISI]Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Sidney PILANE]Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF [Biggie BUTALE]Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Motlatsi MOLAPISI]Real Alternative Party or RAP [Gaontebale MOKGOSI]Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC [Duma BOKO] (various times the collation has included the BMD, BPP, BCP and BNF) (2019)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, roots/tubers, vegetables, sorghum, beef, game meat, watermelons, cabbages, goat milk, onions

Budget

expenditures

5.478 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

5.305 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

A2 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

BBB+ (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$2.147 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$2.146 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.421 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Until the beginning of the global recession in 2008, Botswana maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since its independence in 1966. Botswana recovered from the global recession in 2010, but only grew modestly until 2017, primarily due to a downturn in the global diamond market, though water and power shortages also played a role. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world five decades ago into a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of approximately $18,100 in 2017. Botswana also ranks as one of the least corrupt and best places to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa.   Because of its heavy reliance on diamond exports, Botswana’s economy closely follows global price trends for that one commodity. Diamond mining fueled much of Botswana’s past economic expansion and currently accounts for one-quarter of GDP, approximately 85% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. In 2017, Diamond exports increased to the highest levels since 2013 at about 22 million carats of output, driving Botswana’s economic growth to about 4.5% and increasing foreign exchange reserves to about 45% of GDP. De Beers, a major international diamond company, signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 and moved its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone in 2013. The move was geared to support the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry.   Tourism is a secondary earner of foreign exchange and many Batswana engage in tourism-related services, subsistence farming, and cattle rearing. According to official government statistics, unemployment is around 20%, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens the country's impressive economic gains.

Exchange rates

currency

pulas (BWP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

8.9761 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

10.1263 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

10.60446 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

10.81081 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

10.90512 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$7.53 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$6.16 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, insulated wiring, gold, beef, carbonates (2019)

Exports - partners

India 21%, Belgium 19%, United Arab Emirates 19%, South Africa 9%, Israel 7%, Hong Kong 6%, Singapore 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

39.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

18.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

48.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-33.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

29% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.8% (2017 est.)

industry

27.5% (2017 est.)

services

70.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$18.335 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1993

63 (1993)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

53.3 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2018

$7.31 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$7.44 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

diamonds, refined petroleum, cars, delivery trucks, electricity (2019)

Imports - partners

South Africa 58%, Namibia 9%, Canada 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-4.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

3.2% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

1.177 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

services

NA

Population below poverty line

19.3% (2009 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

15.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

14% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$39.75 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$40.95 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$37.72 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-1.7% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.3% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.4% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$17,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$17,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$16,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$7.189 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$7.491 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

30.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2009

17.8% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate 2013

20% (2013 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

47.8% (2020 est.)

male

44.9%

total

46.2%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

3.636 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

1.673 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

735,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

2.527 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

29% (2019)

electrification - total population

59% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

71% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

21,090 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3.06 (2020 est.)

total

71,898 (2020)

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

47% (2019 est.)

total

1.12 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity has declined in recent years and now stands at roughly 6 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity has advanced to 174 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

due to effective regulatory reform and active competition, Botswana’s telecom market is one of the most liberalized in the region; strategy to drive nationwide ICT penetration is slowed; one of the highest mobile penetration rates in Africa; operators developing 3G and LTE; Internet use rising due to lower prices; government has embraced digitalization, e-government and identity programs that require citizens to provide detailed personal information; previously dependent on satellites for international connectivity, country’s new submarine cable landings improved competition and tripled international Internet capacity; importer of broadcast equipment from Hong Kong and China (2020) (2020)

international

country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5.95 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

142,587 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

162.4 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

3,819,019 (2020)

Airports

total

74 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

2

total

10

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

46

total

64

under 914 m

13 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A2

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

110,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

253,417 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Railways

narrow gauge

888 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

total

888 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

9,810 km (2017)

total

31,747 km (2017)

unpaved

21,937 km (2017)

Military - note

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 demonstrated that the PMU was inadequate for defending the country and led to the establishment of the BDF in 1977; as of 2021, the BDF’s primary missions included securing territorial integrity/border security and internal duties such as disaster relief and anti-poaching as of 2021, the Army was comprised of approximately 4 small combat brigades (2 infantry, 1 light armored, 1 artillery), while the Air Force had 1 fighter/ground attack squadron; Botswana has no navy, but the Army has a marine unit with boats and other river craft for patrolling the country’s numerous waterways, particularly the Chobe River and Okavango swamps Botswana participates in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Standby Force, and in 2021 contributed nearly 300 troops to the SADC’s effort to help the Mozambique Government suppress an insurgency

Military and security forces

Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command (2021)

note

note - both the armed forces and the Botswana Police Service report to the Ministry of Defense, Justice, and Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 9,000 active personnel (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the BDF has a mix of foreign-supplied and mostly older weapons and equipment, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France is the leading supplier of armaments to the BDF (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3.4% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

3% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.8% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.8% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)

Disputes - international

none

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

6.34 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

5.73 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

21.24 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Environment - current issues

overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources; air pollution

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

45.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 45.2% (2018 est.)

forest

19.8% (2018 est.)

other

34.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.23% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

12.24 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

69 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

23.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

100.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

71.6% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

210,854 tons (2010 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,109 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

1% (2005 est.)