President: Ian Khama (2008)
Land area: 226,012 sq mi (585,371 sq km); total area: 231,803 sq mi (600,370 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 2,155,784 (growth rate: 1.26%); birth rate: 21.34/1000; infant mortality rate: 9.38/1000; life expectancy: 54.06; 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 (July 2014 est.)
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Gaborone, 202,000
Monetary unit: Pula
Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English (official) 2.1%, other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Ethnicity/race: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other (including Kgalagadi and white) 7%
National Holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), September 30
Religions: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
Literacy rate: 85.1% (2011 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $30.09 billion; per capita $16,400. Real growth rate: 3.9%.
Inflation: 6.1%. Unemployment: 17.8%. Arable land: 0.45%. Agriculture: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts. Labor force: 1.308 million (2013); agriculture n.a., industry n.a., services n.a. Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles. Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver. Exports: $7.569 billion (2013 est.): diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles. Imports: $7.389 billion (2013 est.): foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products. Major trading partners: European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Southern African Customs Union (Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 160,500 (2012); mobile cellular: 3.0820 (2012). 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; 3 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2007). Internet hosts: 1,806 (2012). Internet users: 120,000 (2009).
Transportation: Railways: total: 888 km (2008). Highways: total: 17,916 km; (2011). Ports and harbors: none. Airports: 74 (2013 est.).SACU), Zimbabwe (2004).
Fun Facts
- Twice the size of Arizona
- An astounding 38% of the country is reserved for national parks
- Foreigners are called “lekgoa” which means spat out by the sea
- Highest concentration of wild elephants in all of Africa
- One of the world’s fastest-growing economies
- A beautiful country with untouched lands
- Diamond revenue pays for the primary education for every child in Botswana