1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 600,370 km2 land area: 585,370 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Climate
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Environment
overgrazing, desertification
International disputes
short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; disputed island with Namibia in the Chobe River; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Sidudu Island in Linyanti River
Irrigated land
20 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 4,013 km, Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 75% forest and woodland: 2% other: 21%
Location
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
none; landlocked
Natural resources
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Note
landlocked
Terrain
predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
People and Society
Birth rate
33.39 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
8.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%
Infant mortality rate
40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
400,000 by occupation: 198,500 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1990 est.); 14,600 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1990)
Languages
English (official), Setswana
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.54 years male: 59.52 years female: 65.65 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990) total population: 72% male: 67% female: 74%
Nationality
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
1,325,920 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.53% (1993 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
Total fertility rate
4.25 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; in addition, there are 4 town councils - Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Phikwe
Capital
Gaborone
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Sir Ketunile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992 )
Constitution
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Digraph
BC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
FAX
[267] 356-947
Flag
light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
Independence
30 September 1966 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court, Court of Appeal
Legal system
based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly
Member of
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland
National Assembly
last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (38 total, 34 elected) BDP 35, BNF 3
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 September (1966)
Political parties and leaders
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Sir Ketumile MASIRE; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA; Boswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO
President
last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador David PASSAGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353-982
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import up to of 80% of food needs
Budget
revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY94)
Communist countries (1970-89), $29 million; in 1992
Norway (largest donor) $16 million, Sweden $15.5 million, Germany $3.6 million, EC/Lome-IV $3-6 million in grants, $28.7 million in long-term projects
Currency
1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
Economic aid
US aid, $13 million (1992); US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $257 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,875 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million;
Electricity
220,000 kW capacity; 1,123 million kWh produced, 846 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
pula (P) per US$1 - 2.31 (February 1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991), 1.8601 (1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988)
Exports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b. 1991) commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 8%, meat 4% partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)
External debt
$344 million (December 1991)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products partners: Switzerland, SACU (Southern African Customs Union), UK, US
Industrial production
growth rate 6.9% (1991); accounts for about 53% of GDP, including mining
Industries
mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
16.5% (December 1992)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.6 billion (FY92 est.)
National product per capita
$2,450 (FY92 est.)
National product real growth rate
5.8% (FY92 est.)
Overview
The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for more than 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs. The driving force behind the rapid economic growth of the 1970s and 1980s has been the mining industry. This sector, mostly on the strength of diamonds, has gone from generating 25% of GDP in 1980 to 50% in 1991. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not agriculture, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. Although diamond production was down slightly in 1992, substantial gains in coal output and manufacturing helped boost the economy
Unemployment rate
25% (1989)
Communications
Airports
total: 100 usable: 87 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 29
Highways
11,514 km total; 1,600 km paved; 1,700 km crushed stone or gravel, 5,177 km improved earth, 3,037 km unimproved earth
Railroads
712 km 1.067-meter gauge
Telecommunications
the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radio-communications stations; 26,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 7 AM, 13 FM, no TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 282,885; fit for military service 148,895; reach military age (18) annually 14,868 (1993 est.)