The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Botswana

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Botswana

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Map

Location: 22 00 S, 24 00 E -- Southern Africa, north of South Africa

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Geography

Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 600,370 sq km
land area: 585,370 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in January 1996 and the parties have agreed to refer the matter to the ICJ
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 75%
forest and woodland: 2%
other: 21%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: overgrazing, primarily as a result of the expansion of the cattle population; desertification; limited natural fresh water resources
natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Geographic note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People

Population: 1,477,630 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 317,254; female 309,617)
15-64 years: 54% (male 374,572; female 419,991)
65 years and over: 4% (male 22,314; female 33,882) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.63% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 33.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 17.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.01 years
male: 44.94 years
female: 47.11 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic divisions: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 69.8%
male: 80.5%
female: 59.9%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland
Data code: BC
Type of government: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*,Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Phikwe*, South-East, Southern,
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 September (1966)
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980) was elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly; election last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
House of Chiefs: is a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12
National Assembly: elections last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held October 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total, 40 elected and 4 appointed by the majority party) BDP 27, BNF 13
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Sir Ketumile MASIRE; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA; Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Archibald MOGWE
chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990, 4991
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard F. JETER
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 356947
Flag: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy

Economic 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 supplies only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 5% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle raising predominate. The sector is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. 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 39% in 1994. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 21%. Hampered by a still sluggish diamond market in 1994 and 1995, GDP grew by only 1% in both years.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 1% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $3,200 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 428,000 (1992)
by occupation: 220,000 formal sector employees; 14,300 are employed in various mines in South Africa; most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: 21% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY93/94)
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (FY92/93)
Electricity:
capacity: 220,000 kW
production: 900 million kWh
consumption per capita: 694 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock
Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1994)
commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5%
partners: Switzerland, UK, Southern African Customs Union (SACU),
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
partners: Switzerland, Southern African Customs Union (SACU), UK, US
External debt: $691 million (1994)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $189 million (1993)
Currency: 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1 - 2.8305 (January 1996), 2.7716 (1995), 2.6831 (1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications

Telephones: 19,109 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: sparse system
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations
international: microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 13,800 (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Botswana Defense Force (includes Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 334,177
males fit for military service: 175,471
males reach military age (18) annually: 17,088 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $199 million, 5.2% of GDP (FY93/94)

Botswana

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).