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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $199 million, 5.2% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 334,177 males fit for military service: 175,471 males reach military age (18) annually: 17,088 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

19,109 (1985 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1988 est.)

Televisions [time series]

13,800 (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $1.99 billion, including capital expenditures of $652 million (FY93/94)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $189 million (1993)

Economic 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 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.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 220,000 kW production: 900 million kWh consumption per capita: 694 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

pula (P) per US$1 - 2.8305 (January 1996), 2.7716 (1995), 2.6831 (1994), 2.4190 (1993), 2.1327 (1992), 2.0173 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1994) commodities: diamonds 78%, copper and nickel 6%, meat 5% partners: Switzerland, UK, Southern African Customs Union (SACU),

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$691 million (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 5% industry: NA% services: NA% (1995 est.)

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

$3,200 (1995 est.)

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

1% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.6% (FY92/93)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

21% (1995 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 600,370 sq km land area: 585,370 sq km 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]

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 coordinates [time series]

22 00 S, 24 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 4,013 km border countries: 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

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*,Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Phikwe*, South-East, Southern,

Capital [time series]

Gaborone

Constitution [time series]

March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Archibald MOGWE chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990, 4991

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

[1] (202) 244-4164

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

[267] 356947

Flag [time series]

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

Legislative branch (House of Chiefs) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

30 September 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court; Court of Appeal

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

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

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

Legislative branch (National Assembly) [time series]

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

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; Botswana People's Party (BPP), Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

parliamentary republic

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Howard F. JETER embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982

People

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

33.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

17.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Setswana

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 46.01 years male: 44.94 years female: 47.11 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

1,477,630 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.63% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)