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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 100 usable: 87 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 29

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 1.067-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(territory of Norway)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $196 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 282,885; fit for military service 148,895; reach military age (18) annually 14,868 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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 [time series]

revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY94)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Economic aid [time series]

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; 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

Electricity [time series]

220,000 kW capacity; 1,123 million kWh produced, 846 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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 [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b. 1991) commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 8%, meat 4% partners: Switzerland, UK, SACU (Southern African Customs Union)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$344 million (December 1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6.9% (1991); accounts for about 53% of GDP, including mining

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

16.5% (December 1992)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.6 billion (FY92 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,450 (FY92 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

5.8% (FY92 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

25% (1989)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 600,370 km2 land area: 585,370 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Climate [time series]

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

overgrazing, desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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 [time series]

20 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 75% forest and woodland: 2% other: 21%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Gaborone

Constitution [time series]

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Botsweletse Kingsley SEBELE chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-4990 or 4991

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 President: last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly

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)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court, Court of Appeal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Sir Ketunile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992 )

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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador David PASSAGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353-982 FAX: [267] 356-947

People

Birth rate [time series]

33.39 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

English (official), Setswana

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 62.54 years male: 59.52 years female: 65.65 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990) total population: 72% male: 67% female: 74%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

1,325,920 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.53% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.25 children born/woman (1993 est.)