Airports [time series]

99 total, 87 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

6 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

712 km 1.0 67-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

the small system is a combination of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and a few radiocommunication stations; 17,900 telephones; stations--2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Wing, Botswana Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

2.2% of GNP (1987)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 249,480; 131,304 fit for military service; 14,363 reach military age (18) annually

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import large share of food needs

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $242 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $24 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $1,235 million; expenditures $1,080 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY90 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

pula (plural--pula); 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Electricity [time series]

217,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced, 510 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

pula (P) per US$1--1.8734 (January 1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988), 1.6779 (1987), 1.8678 (1986), 1.8882 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--diamonds 88%, copper and nickel 5%, meat 4%, cattle, animal products; partners--Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern African Customs Union

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$700 million (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.87 billion, per capita $1,600; real growth rate 8.4% (FY88)

Imports [time series]

$1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--foodstuffs, vehicles, textiles, petroleum products; partners--Switzerland, US, UK, other EC-associated members of Southern African Customs Union

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 16.8% (FY86)

Industries [time series]

livestock processing; mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.45% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy has historically been based on cattle raising and crops. Agriculture today provides a livelihood for over 80% of the population, but produces only about 50% of food needs and contributes a small 5% to GDP. 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 over 50% in 1988. No other sector has experienced such growth, especially not that of the agricultural sector, which is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. The unemployment rate remains a problem at 25%. A scarce resource base limits diversification into labor-intensive industries.

Unemployment rate [time series]

25% (1987)

Climate [time series]

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Coastline [time series]

none--landlocked

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Texas

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

short section of the boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

rains in early 1988 broke six years of drought that had severely affected the important cattle industry; overgrazing; desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

4,013 km total; Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Land use [time series]

2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 75% meadows and pastures; 2% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Maritime claims [time series]

none--landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver, natural gas

Note [time series]

landlocked; very long boundary with South Africa

Terrain [time series]

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Area (Total area) [time series]

600,370 km2; land area: 585,370 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; note--in addition, there may now be 4 town councils named Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Pikwe

Capital [time series]

Gaborone

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

no known Communist organization; Koma of BNF has long history of Communist contacts

Constitution [time series]

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE; Chancery at Suite 404, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-4990 or 4991; US--Ambassador-designate David PASSAGE; Deputy Chief of Mission Johnnie CARSON; Embassy at Botswana Road, Gaborone (mailing address is P. O. Box 90, Gaborone); telephone [267] 353982 through 353984

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Independence [time series]

30 September 1966 (from UK; formerly Bechuanaland)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State and Head of Government--President Quett K. J. MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President Peter S. MMUSI (since 3 January 1983)

Legal system [time series]

based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or House of Chiefs and a lower house or National Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Botswana

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Botswana Day, 30 September (1966)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Quett Masire; Botswana National Front (BNF), Kenneth Koma; Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight Maripe; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai Mpho; Botswana Progressive Union (BPU), Daniel Kwele

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 21 President--last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results--President Quett K. J. Masire was reelected by the National Assembly; National Assembly--last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(34 total, 30 elected) BDP 31, BNF 3

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary republic

Birth rate [time series]

37 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

95% Batswana; about 4% Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi; about 1% white

Infant mortality rate [time series]

43 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

400,000; 163,000 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1988 est.); 19,000 are employed in various mines in South Africa (1988)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English (official), Setswana

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

58 years male, 64 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

60%

Nationality [time series]

noun and adjective--Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

19 trade unions

Population [time series]

1,224,527 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

50% indigenous beliefs, 50% Christian

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.8 children born/woman (1990)