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Botswana
Economics
Geography
Area: 582,000 sq. km. (224,710 sq. mi.), about the size of
Texas.
Cities (2001 census): Capital--Gaborone (pronounced ha-bo-ro-neh),
pop. 186,007. Other towns--Francistown (83,023), Selebi-Phikwe
(49,849), Molepolole (54,561), Kanye (40,628), Serowe (42,444),
Mahalapye (39,719), Lobatse (29,689), Maun (43,776), Mochudi
(36,962).
Terrain: Desert and savanna.
Climate: Mostly subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Motswana (sing.), Batswana
(pl.).
Population (est.): 1.84 million.
Annual population growth rate (2008): 1.434%.
Ethnic groups: Tswana 79%; Kalanga 11%; Kgalagadi, Herero,
Bayeyi, Hambukush, Basarwa ("San"), Khoi, whites
10%.
Religions: Christianity 70%, none 20%, indigenous beliefs
6%, other 4%.
Languages: English (official), Setswana, Ikalanga.
Education: Adult literacy--81%.
Health (2008): Life expectancy--50.6 years. Infant mortality
rate--44.01/1,000.
Work force (2005-2006 est.): 548,600 employed; total including
unemployed, 651,500.
Government
Type: Republic, parliamentary democracy.
Independence: September 30, 1966.
Constitution: March 1965.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head of
government), cabinet. Legislative--popularly elected National
Assembly; advisory House of Chiefs. Judicial--High Court,
Court of Appeal, local and customary courts, industrial labor
court.
Administrative subdivisions: Five town councils and nine district
councils.
Major political parties: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) 45
seats, Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) 6 seats, Botswana
National Front (BNF) 5 seats, Botswana Congress Party (BCP)/Botswana
Alliance Movement (BAM) 5 seats.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
Nominal GDP (2009 est.): $12.0 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (2009): -3.7%.
Per capita nominal GDP (2009 est.): $6,200.
Natural resources: Diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, soda ash,
salt, gold, potash.
Agriculture (2% of real GDP, 2008): Products--livestock, sorghum,
white maize, millet, cowpeas, beans.
Industry: Types--mining (40% of real GDP, 2008): diamonds,
copper, nickel, coal; tourism, textiles, construction, beef
processing, chemical products production, food and beverage
production.
Trade (2008): Exports--$5.127 billion f.o.b.: diamonds, nickel,
copper, meat products, textiles, hides, skins, and soda ash.
Partners--EU, South Africa. Imports--$3.931 billion f.o.b.:
machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
chemicals, fuels. Major suppliers--South Africa, EU, and U.S.
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