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Botswana Country Guide
Explore Botswana in Africa
The landscape offers predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland with Kalahari Desert in southwest. The average density of population is approximately 3 per km². The notable climate conditions in Botswana can be described as semiarid with warm winters and hot summers. Potential threats by nature are periodic droughts or seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility.
To reach someone in Botswana dial +267 prior to a number. There are 144,200 installed telephones. And there are 1,874,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".bw". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 220V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Botswana
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.
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. 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 known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa''s most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Africa Neighbours: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia Capital: Gaborone |
| Size | 600,370 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 231,804 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than Texas |
| Population | 1,842,000 |
| Currency | Name Pula, Currency Code:BWP |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .bw |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +267 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 1,874,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 144,200 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 581,730 (sq km) | 48 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,127,825 | 144 |
| Population growth rate | 1.35 (%) | 89 |
| Birth rate | 21.69 (births/1,000 population) | 77 |
| Death rate | 12.91 (deaths/1,000 population) | 22 |
| Net migration rate | 4.68 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 22 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 160.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 61 |
| Infant mortality rate | 9.90 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 145 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 54.47 (years) | 205 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.41 (children born/woman) | 85 |
| Health expenditures | 8.30 (% of GDP) | 55 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 24.80 (%) | 2 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 320,000 | 18 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 5,800 | 34 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 11.20 (%) | 128 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 11.20 (%) | 65 |
| Education expenditures | 7.80 (% of GDP) | 15 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 13.60 (%) | 94 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 32,060,000,000 | 112 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.80 (%) | 91 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 17,100 | 79 |
| Labor force | 1,288,000 | 136 |
| Unemployment rate | 17.80 (%) | 154 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 63.00 | 3 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 27.60 (% of GDP) | 32 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 31.20 (% of GDP) | 88 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 0.60 (% of GDP) | 32 |
| Public debt | 23.00 (% of GDP) | 125 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.40 (%) | 180 |
| Central bank discount rate | 10.00 (%) | 25 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 11.00 (%) | 77 |
| Stock of narrow money | 1,280,000,000 | 141 |
| Stock of broad money | 7,600,000,000 | 114 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 415,900,000 | 175 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 4,107,000,000 | 88 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 10.80 (%) | 8 |
| Current account balance | 231,300,000 | 52 |
| Exports | 4,545,000,000 | 119 |
| Imports | 6,198,000,000 | 119 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 8,648,000,000 | 78 |
| Debt - external | 1,968,000,000 | 143 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 417,000,000 (kWh) | 165 |
| Electricity - consumption | 3,118,000,000 (kWh) | 132 |
| Electricity - imports | 2,890,000,000 (kWh) | 44 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 132,000 (kW) | 164 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 100.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 6 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 15,420 (bbl/day) | 143 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 19,060 (bbl/day) | 106 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 3,841,000 (Mt) | 131 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 149,600 | 135 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,900,000 | 130 |
| Internet hosts | 1,806 | 163 |
| Internet users | 120,000 | 154 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 76 | 72 |
| Railways | 888 (km) | 93 |
| Roadways | 17,916 (km) | 116 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 2.80 (% of GDP) | 44 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Okavango Delta This delta in north-west Botswana comprises permanent marshlands and seasonally flooded plains. It is one of the very few major interior delta systems that do not flow into a sea or ocean, with a wetland system that is almost intact. One of the uniqu ... | 2014 |
| Tsodilo With one of the highest concentrations of rock art in the world, Tsodilo has been called the ''Louvre of the Desert''. Over 4,500 paintings are preserved in an area of only 10 km2 of the Kalahari Desert. The archaeological record of the area gives a ... | 2001 |