Country Guide • Botswana

Flag of Botswana

Botswana is a land-locked country dominated in geographical terms by the Kalahari Desert. The country is situated in the southern African region and about two-thirds of Botswana lies within the Tropics; it is bisected by the Tropic of Capricorn. Although Botswana has no mountain ranges to speak of, the almost uniformly flat landscape is punctuated occasionally by low hills, especially along the south eastern boundary and in the far north west.

Official NameRepublic of Botswana
Area600,370km² (231,803mile²)
Population1,573,000
ContinentAfrica
Population per mile²7
Capital CityGaborone
ReligionsIndigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 49%
LanguageEnglish, Setswana
GovernmentParliamentary Republic
CurrencyPula
GDP$15.1 billion
GDP per Head$9,500
Natural ResourcesDiamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash
Land UseArable Land 1%
AgricultureBeans, cowpeas, groundnuts, (peanuts), maize, livestock and sunflowers
IndustryDiamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing and textiles
Tourism17% of Botswana has been set aside as national parks and game reserves. There are numerous safari lodges and camps established for you to enjoy the wildlife and explore the unspoilt countryside
Natural HazardsPeriodic droughts and in August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
Health RisksMalaria
ClimateBotswana has a subtropical climate. Winters are cool with frost common in the desert. The summer season is from September to April with rain in the north and east falling almost totally between October to April. The country often suffers long periods of drought. Average annual rainfall is 18 inches with average temperature ranges from 5 to 23°C in July to 18 to 31°C in December or January
TimeGMT/UTC+2 hours
National DaysSeptember 30
VisasA visa is not required for visits of up to 90 days for citizens of most Commonwealth countries, most European countries, Israel, Japan, South Africa and the USA
British EmbassyEmbassy Details

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