Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana (Tswana: Lefatshe la Botswana), is a landlocked country located inSouthern Africa. The citizens are referred to as “Batswana” (singular: Motswana). Sony VGP-BPL7 battery

Formerly the British protectorate ofBechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. It has held free and fair democratic elections since independence. HP F2299A battery

Botswana is flat, and up to 70% is covered by the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its border with Zambia to the north is poorly defined but at most is a few hundred meters long.[5] HSTNN-LB51 battery

A mid-sized country of just over two million people, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Botswana was one of the poorest countries in Africa when it gained independence from Britain in 1966, with a GDP per capita of about US$70. Sony VGN-AW11XU/Q battery

Botswana has since transformed itself, becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in the world to a GDP (purchasing power parity) per capita of about $14,000.[6] The country also has a strong tradition as a representative democracy. HP 446506-001 battery

In the 19th century, hostilities broke out between Tswana inhabitants of Botswana and Ndebele tribes who were making incursions into the territory from the north-east. Tensions also escalated with the Boer settlers from the Transvaalto the east. HP Pavilion DV4-1365DX battery

After appeals by the Batswana leaders Khama III, Bathoen and Sebele for assistance, the British Government put “Bechuanaland” under its protection on 31 March 1885. The northern territory remained under direct administration as the Bechuanaland Protectorate and is modern-day Botswana, Sony VAIO VGN-TZ190N/BC battery

while the southern territory became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa. The majority of Setswana-speaking people today live in South Africa.

When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 out of the main British colonies in the region, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Sony VAIO VGN-Z31WN/B battery

Basutoland (now Lesotho) and Swaziland (the “High Commission Territories”) were not included, but provision was made for their later incorporation. However, a vague undertaking was given to consult their inhabitants, and although successive South African governments sought to have the territories transferred, HP Pavilion DV6-1215EE battery

Britain kept delaying; consequently, it never occurred. The election of the Nationalist government in 1948, which instituted apartheid, and South Africa’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, ended any prospect of incorporation of the territories into South Africa. Sony VGP-BPS22/A Battery

An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils to represent both Africans and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regularized tribal rule and powers. HP Pavilion DV4T-1400 CTO battery

A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council.

In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for a democratic self-government in Botswana. HP Pavilion DV6-1232ET battery

The seat of government was moved in 1965 from Mafikeng in South Africa, to the newly established Gaborone, which sits near its border. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on 30 September 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to the Ngwato chiefship, was elected as the first president, re-elected twice. Sony VAIO VPCEB19GX battery

The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Quett Masire, who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in 1998. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Festus Mogae, who was elected in his own right in 1999 and re-elected in 2004. Sony VAIO VPCW12S1E/P battery

The presidency passed in 2008 to Ian Khama (son of the first president), who resigned his position as leader of the Botswana Defence Force to take up this civilian role.

A long-running dispute over the northern border with Namibia’s Caprivi Strip was the subject of a ruling by the International Court of Justice in December 1999, which ruled that Kasikili Islandbelongs to Botswana.[7] HP Pavilion DV6-1240EI battery
Politics and government
The politics of Botswana take place in a framework of a representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Botswana is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. HP Compaq HSTNN-LB51 battery

Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Botswana. The most recent election, its tenth, was held on 16 October 2009.

Since independence was declared, the party system has been dominated by the Botswana Democratic Party. HP Pavilion DV4-1211TU battery

The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. According to Transparency International, Botswana is the least corrupt country in Africa and ranks similarly close to Portugal and South Korea.[8] Nevertheless the country is considered to have the most secretive public institutions.[9] The national anthem is Fatshe leno la rona. Lenovo S10-2 battery

At 600,370 km2 (231,804 sq mi) Botswana is the world’s 47th-largest country (after Ukraine). It is comparable in size toMadagascar, and is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Texas or the Canadian province of Manitoba. It lies between latitudes17° and 27°S, and longitudes 20° and 30°E. Apple MacBook Pro Battery

The country is predominantly flat, tending toward gently rolling tableland. Botswana is dominated by the Kalahari Desert, which covers up to 70% of its land surface. The Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, is in the northwest. The Makgadikgadi Pan, a large salt pan, lies in the north. Dell Inspiron N5010 Battery

The Limpopo River Basin, the major landform of all of southern Africa, lies partly in Botswana, with the basins of its tributaries, the Notwane, Bonwapitse, Mahalapswe, Lotsane, Motloutse and the Shashe, located in the eastern part of the country. Sony Vaio P Battery

The Notwane provides water to the capital through the Gaborone Dam. The Chobe River lies to the north, providing a boundary between Botswana and Namibia, in the Caprivi Region. The Chobe River meets with the Zambezi River at a place called Kazungula(meaning a small sausage tree, a point where Sebitwane and his Makololo tribe crossed the Zambezi into Zambia). Dell Inspiron 1564 Battery
Ecology
Botswana has diverse areas of wildlife habitat. In addition to the delta and desert areas, there are grasslands and savannas, where Blue Wildebeest, antelopes, and other mammals and birds are found. Lenovo S10-3 Battery

Northern Botswana has one of the few remaining large populations of the endangered African Wild Dog. Chobe National Park, found in the Chobe District, has the world’s largest concentration of African elephants. The park covers about 11,000 km2 (4,247 sq mi) and supports about 350 species of birds. HP 530 Battery

The Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve (in the Okavango Delta) are major tourist destinations. Other reserves include the Central Kalahari Game Reserve located in the Kalahari desert in Ghanzi District; Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Nxai Pan National Park are inCentral District in the Makgadikgadi Pan. Samsung R522 Battery

Mashatu Game Reserve is privately owned: located where the Shashe River and Limpopo River meet in eastern Botswana. The other privately owned reserve is Mokolodi Nature Reserve near Gaborone. There are also specialised sanctuaries like the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (for Rhinoceros) and Makgadikgadi Sanctuary (for Flamingos). Dell Latitude D630 Battery

They are both located in Central District.
Environmental problems
Botswana is currently facing two major environmental problems: drought and desertification. The desertification problems predominantly stem from the severe times of drought in the country. Acer Aspire 5515 Battery

Due to the drought, 75% of the country’s human and animal populations are dependent on groundwater. Groundwater use has eased the effects of drought, but has left a toll on the land. Groundwater is retrieved through drilling deep boreholes, which leads to the erosion of the land. Dell Studio 1735 Battery

Surface water is very scarce in Botswana and less than 5% of the agriculture in the country is sustainable by rainfall. Due to this 95% of the country raises cattle and livestock as a means for an income. Therefore, it is not a surprise to see that 71% of the country’s land is used for communal grazing, which has been a major cause for the desertification of the country.[10] Toshiba Portege R200 Battery

Since raising livestock has proven to be profitable for the people of Botswana, the land is continuing to be exploited. The animal populations have continued to dramatically increase. From 1966 to 1991 the livestock population has increased from 1.7 million to 5.5 million¹⁰:64. Dell Vostro 1710 Battery

Similarly, the human population has increased from 574,000 in 1971 to 1.5 million in 1995, nearly a 200% increase. “Over 50% of all households in Botswana own cattle, which is currently the largest single source of rural income”. “Rangeland degradation or desertification is regarded as the reduction in land productivity as a result of overstocking and overgrazing or as a result of veld product gathering for commercial use. Hp Pavilion dv3-1000 Battery

Degradation is exacerbated by the effects of drought and climate change”.[10] It has been reported that theOkavango Delta is drying up due to the increased grazing of livestock.[11] The Okavango Delta is one of the major semi-forested wetlands in Botswana and is the largest inland delta in the world; it is a crucial ecosystem to the survival of many animals.[11] HP Pavilion DV7-1261WM battery

The Department of Forestry and Range Resources has already begun to implement a project to reintroduce indigenous vegetation into communities in Kgalagadi South, Kweneng North and Boteti.[12] Reintroduction of indigenous vegetation will help with the degradation of the land. HP Pavilion DV6-1299EA battery

The United States Government has also entered into an agreement with Botswana, giving them $7 million US dollars to reduce Botswana’s debt by $8.3 million US dollars. The stipulation of the US reducing Botswana’s debt is that Botswana will focus on more extensive conservation of the land.[11] hp g6000 battery

The United Nations Development Programme claims that a major problem behind the overexploitation of resources, including land, in Botswana, is due to the poverty level. To help change this the UNDP joined in with a project started in the southern community of Struizendam in Botswana. HP Pavilion DV6-1210SA battery

The purpose of the project is to draw from “indigenous knowledge and traditional land management systems”. The leaders of this movement are supposed to be the people in the community, to draw them in, in turn increasing their possibilities to earn an income and thus decreasing poverty. Compaq Presario CQ71 battery

The UNDP also stated that the government has to effectively implement policies to allow people to manage their own local resources and are giving the government information to help with policy development¹³
Defense
At the time of independence, Botswana had no armed forces. HP Pavilion DV7-1120EO battery

It was only after the Rhodesian and South African militaries struck respectively against ZIPRA and MK¹⁴bases that the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) was formed in 1977. The president is commander in chief and appoints a defence council. The BDF has approximately 12,000 members. Sony VAIO VGN-FW160D battery

Following political changes in South Africa and the region, the BDF’s missions have increasingly focused on prevention of poaching, preparing for disasters, and foreign peacekeeping. The United States has been the largest single foreign contributor to the development of the BDF, and a large segment of its officer corps has received U.S. training. HP Pavilion DV4-1220US battery

It is considered an apolitical and professional institution.

The Botswana government gave the United States the green light to explore the possibility of establishing an Africa Command (Africom) base in the country. This fueled protests by the South African ANC youth organisation. Sony VAIO VPCW12S1E/P battery
Economy
Since independence, Botswana has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world.[15] Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country. HP Compaq 491278-001 battery

By one estimate, it has the fourth highest gross national income at purchasing power parity in Africa, giving it a standard of living around that of Mexico andTurkey.[16]

According to the International Monetary Fund, economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966 to 1999. HP Compaq 464119-143 battery

Botswana has a high level of economic freedom compared to other African countries.[17] The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy, despite consecutive budget deficits in 2002 and 2003, and a negligible level of foreign debt. It earned the highest sovereign credit rating in Africa and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $7 billion in 2005/2006) amounting to almost two and a half years of current imports. HP Compaq Business Notebook 6530B battery

Debswana, the largest diamond mining company operating in Botswana, is 50% owned by the government.[18] The mineral industry provides about 40% of all government revenues.[19] In 2007, significant quantities of uranium were discovered, and mining is projected to begin by 2010. Sony VAIO VGN-TZ285N/RC battery

Several international mining corporations have established regional headquarters in Botswana, and prospected for diamonds, gold, uranium, copper, and even oil, many coming back with positive results. Government announced in early 2009, that they would try and shift their economic dependence on diamonds, over serious concern that diamonds are predicted to dry out in Botswana over the next twenty years. HP 540 battery

An array of financial institutions populates the country’s financial system, with pension funds and commercial banks being the two most important segments by asset size. Banks remain profitable, well-capitalized, and liquid, as a result of growing national resources and high interest rates.[20] Sony VAIO VPCW119XJ/P battery

Botswana’s competitive banking system is one of Africa’s most advanced.[clarification needed] Generally adhering to global standards in the transparency of financial policies and banking supervision, the financial sector provides ample access to credit for entrepreneurs. HP Pavilion DV8 battery

The opening of Capital Bank in 2008 brought the total number of licensed banks to eight. The government is involved in banking through state-owned financial institutions and a special financial incentives program that is aimed at increasing Botswana’s status as a financial centre. Sony VAIO VGN-AR95S battery

Credit is allocated on market terms, although the government provides subsidized loans. Reform of non-bank financial institutions has continued in recent years, notably through the establishment of a single financial regulatory agency that provides more effective supervision. Sony VAIO VPCW12S1E/P battery

The government has abolished exchange controls, and with the resulting creation of new portfolio investment options, the Botswana Stock Exchange is growing.

The constitution prohibits the nationalization of private property and provides for an independent judiciary, and the government respects this in practice. HP Pavilion DV6000 battery

The legal system is sufficient to conduct secure commercial dealings, although a serious and growing backlog of cases prevents timely trials. The protection of intellectual property rights has improved significantly. Botswana is ranked second only to South Africa among sub-Saharan Africa countries in the 2009 International Property Rights Index. HP Compaq KU532AA battery

While generally open to foreign participation in its economy, Botswana reserves a number of sectors for citizen participation. Increased foreign investment plays a significant role in the privatization of state-owned enterprises. Investment regulations are transparent, and bureaucratic procedures are streamlined and open, although somewhat slow. Sony VAIO VPCEB16FX/W battery

Investment returns such as profits and dividends, debt service, capital gains, returns on intellectual property, royalties, franchise’s fees, and service fees can be repatriated without limits. Sony VAIO VPCEB17FX/L battery
Demographics
Botswana’s main ethnic groups are Batswana, BaKalanga, Bushmen or AbaThwa also known as Basarwa. Other tribes are Bayei, Bambukushu, Basubia, Baherero and Bakgalagadi. Other groups of ethnicities in Botswana include whites and Indians, both groups being roughly equally small in number. HP Pavilion DV6-1240EO battery

Botswana’s Indian population is made up of many Indian-Africans of several generations, from Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, South Africa, and so on, as well as first generation Indian immigrants. The white population is native to Botswana or from other parts of Africa including Zimbabwe and South Africa. Sony VAIO VGN-NS110E/L battery

The white population speaks either English or Afrikaans and makes up roughly 3% of the population.

Since 2000, because of deteriorating economic conditions in Zimbabwe, the number of Zimbabweans in Botswana has risen into the tens of thousands.[21] Sony VAIO VGN-G2AAPS battery

Fewer than 10,000 Bushmen are still living the traditional hunter-gatherer style of life. Since the mid-1990s the central government of Botswana has been trying to move San out of their lands.[22] The UN’s top official on indigenous rights, Prof. James Anaya, has condemned Botswana’s persecution of the Bushmen in a report released in February 2010. Sony VAIO VGN-NS70B/W battery
Language
The official language of Botswana is English although Setswana is widely spoken across the country. In Setswana prefixes are more important than they are in many other languages. These prefixes include “Bo”, which refers to the country, “Ba”, which refers to the people, “Mo”, which is one person, and “Se” which is the language. Sony VGP-BPS21B battery

For example, the main tribe of Botswana is the Tswana people, hence the name Botswana for its country. The people as a whole are Batswana, one person is a Motswana, and the language they speak is Setswana. Other languages spoken in Botswana include, Kalanga(sekalanga), Sarwa (sesarwa), Ndebele and in some parts Afrikaans. Sony VAIO VGN-Z56GG/B battery
Religion
An estimated 70 percent of the country’s citizens identify themselves as Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa make up the majority of Christians. Sony VAIO VGN-FZ21Z battery

There are also congregations of Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, the Dutch Reformed Church, Mennonites, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other Christian sects.

According to the 2001 census, the country’s Muslim community, primarily of South Asian origin, numbers slightly more than 5,000. HP Pavilion DV7-1120EO battery

The 2001 census also lists approximately 3,000 Hindus and 700 Baha’is. Approximately 20 percent of citizens espouse no religion. Religious services are well attended in both rural and urban areas.

Like elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, the economic impact of AIDS is considerable. HP Pavilion DV6-1210SA battery

Economic development spending was cut by 10% in 2002–3 as a result of recurring budget deficits and rising expenditure on healthcare services. Botswana has been hit very hard by the AIDS pandemic; in 2006 it was estimated that life expectancy at birth had dropped from 65 to 35 years.[27] HP Mini 311-1110TU battery

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Botswana was estimated at 24% for adults in 2006.[28] In 2003, the government began a comprehensive program involving free or cheap generic anti-retroviral drugs as well as an information campaign designed to stop the spread of the virus. Compaq Presario V2335US battery

Under the leadership of Festus Mogae, the Government of Botswana solicited outside help in fighting HIV/AIDS and received early support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Merck Foundation, and together formed the African Comprehensive HIV AIDS Partnership (ACHAP). Sony VAIO VGN-FW11E battery

Other early partners include the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute, of the Harvard School of Public Health and the Botswana-UPenn Partnership of the University of Pennsylvania. According to the 2011 UNAIDS Report, universal access to treatment – as defined as 80% coverage or greater – has been achieved in Botswana.[29] HP Pavilion DV1635LA battery

Concurrent sexual partnerships, low male circumcision rates, transactional sex, cross-generational sex, and a significant numbers of people who have traveled outside of their local communities in pursuit of work, are potential reasons for the high HIV prevalence. Sony VAIO VGN-FW11E battery

The promiscuous nature of many sexual relationships further impacts the health situation; so much so that it has given rise to a Love Vocabulary³⁰ that is unique to the region.

Approximately one in six Batswana has HIV, giving Botswana the second highest infection rate in the world after nearby Swaziland.[31] Sony VAIO VGN-NS10J/S battery

The government recognizes that AIDS will affect the economy and is trying to combat the epidemic, including free anti-retroviral drug treatment and a nation-wide Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission program. Botswana has reduced HIV transmission from infected mothers to their children from about 40% to just 4%.HP Pavilion DV6-1200SL battery
Cancer
The Cancer Association of Botswana is a voluntary non-governmental organization. The association is a member of the Union for International Cancer Control. Sony VAIO VPCEB12FX/T battery

The Association supplements existing services through provision of cancer prevention and health awareness programmes, facilitating access to health services for cancer patients and offering support and counseling to those affected.[32] HP HSTNN-LB31 battery
Education
Botswana has made great strides in educational development since independence in 1966. At that time there were very few graduates in the country and only a very small percentage of the population attended secondary school. HP 593553-001 battery

Botswana increased its adult literacy rate from 69% in 1991 to 83% in 2008.[33]

With the discovery of diamonds and the increase in government revenue that this brought, there was a huge increase in educational provision in the country. HP Pavilion DV5-1110EM battery

All students were guaranteed ten years of basic education, leading to a Junior Certificate qualification. Approximately half of the school population attends a further two years of secondary schooling leading to the award of the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE). HP 436426-752 battery

Secondary education in Botswana is neither free nor compulsory.

After leaving school, students can attend one of the six technical colleges in the country, or take vocational training courses inteaching or nursing. The best students enter the University of Botswana, Botswana College of Agriculture [2], and The Botswana Accountancy College in Gaborone. Sony VAIO VGN-BZ560N24 battery

Many other students end up in the numerous private tertiary education colleges around the country. A high majority of these students are government sponsored. A larger influx of tertiary students is expected when construction of the nation’s second international university, The Botswana International University of Science and Technology, is completed in Palapye. HP Compaq 451086-661 battery

One notable International University is Limkokwing University of Creative Technology that offers various Associate Degree(s) in Creative Arts. This has helped many youths develop and create their own businesses across the country.

The quantitative gains have not always been matched by qualitative ones. Compaq Presario C740EM battery

Primary schools in particular still lack resources, and the teachers are less well paid than their secondary school colleagues. The Botswana Ministry of Education³⁴ is working to establish libraries in primary schools in partnership with the African Library Project.[35] HP 448007-001 battery

The Government of Botswana hopes that by investing a large part of national income in education, the country will become less dependent on diamonds for its economic survival, and less dependent on expatriates for its skilled workers. Botswana invests 21% of its government spending in education.[33] HP Pavilion DV7 battery

In January 2006, Botswana announced the reintroduction of school fees after two decades of free state education³⁶ though the government still provides full scholarships with living expenses to any Botswana citizen in university, either at the University of Botswana or if the student wishes to pursue an education in any field not offered locally, HP DV6-1120SA battery

such as medicine, they are provided with a full scholarship to study abroad.
Sports
Football is the most popular sport in Botswana, with qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations being the biggest achievement to date. HP DV6-1210SA battery

Other popular sports arecricket, tennis, rugby, softball, handball, golf and track and field.[37][38] Botswana is an associate member of the International Cricket Council.

Botswana has yet to win a medal at the Olympics, but in 2011 Amantle Montsho became world champion in the 400 metres and won Botswanas first athletics medal on world level. Compaq CQ50 battery

Another famous Botswana athlete is high jumper Kabelo Kgosiemang, three times African champion.

The card game bridge has a strong following; it was first played in Botswana over 30 years ago and grew in popularity during the 1980s. HP Pavilion DV8 battery

Many British expatriate school teachers informally taught the game in Botswana’s secondary schools. The Botswana Bridge Federation (BBF) was founded in 1988 and continues to organize tournaments. Bridge has remained popular and the BBF has over 800 members.[39] Sony VGP-BPS13 battery

In 2007, the BBF invited the English Bridge Union to host a week-long teaching program in May 2008.[40]
Culture
Besides referring to the language of the dominant people groups in Botswana, Setswana is the adjective used to describe the rich cultural traditions of the Batswana-whether construed as members of the Tswana ethnic groups or of all citizens of Botswana. HP DV9700 battery

The Scottish writer, Alexander McCall Smith, has written a number of popular novels (No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series) about Botswana that entertain as well as inform the reader about the culture and customs of Botswana. Compaq CQ35-100 battery
Music
Tswana music is mostly vocal and performed without drums; it also makes heavy use of string instruments. Tswana folk music has instruments such as Setinkane, Segankure/Segaba, and for the last few decades, the guitar has been celebrated as a versatile music instrument for Tswana music. Sony VGP-BPS11 battery
Visual arts
In the northern part of Botswana, women in the villages of Etsha and Gumare are noted for their skill at crafting baskets fromMokola Palm and local dyes. The baskets are generally woven into three types: Sony VAIO VPCZ11V9R/B Battery

large, lidded baskets used for storage, large, open baskets for carrying objects on the head or for winnowing threshed grain, and smaller plates for winnowing pounded grain. The artistry of these baskets is being steadily enhanced through color use and improved designs as they are increasingly produced for commercial use. Sony VAIO VPCZ11X9E/B Battery

Other notable artistic communities include Thamaga Pottery and Oodi Weavers, both located in the southeastern part of Botswana.

The oldest paintings from both Botswana and South Africa depict hunting, animal and human figures, and were made by the Khoisan (!Kung San/Bushmen) over twenty thousand years ago within the Kalahari desert. Sony VAIO VPCZ11Z9E/B Battery

In addition to these more traditional arts there are a number of extremely talented artists who use modern means to express themselves. There are a few galleries around Botswana that display paintings and sculptures. Some pieces are inspired by the beautiful Botswana landscapes and others by the people themselves. Sony VAIO VPCZ125GX/S Battery
Cuisine
The cuisine of Botswana is unique but also shares some characteristics with other cuisine of Southern Africa. Examples of Botswana food are Pap, Boerewors, Samp, Vetkoek and Mopane worms. Sony VAIO VPCZ127FC Battery

A food unique to Botswana includes Seswaa, heavily salted mashed-up meat.

The Batswana, a term also used to denote all citizens of Botswana, refers to the country’s major ethnic group (called the “Tswana” in South Africa). Prior to European contact, the Batswana lived as herders and farmers under tribal rule. Sony VAIO VPCZ128GC Battery

Sometime between 200-500 AD, those Bantu-speaking peoples who were living in the Katanga area (today part of the DRC and Zambia) crossed the Limpopo River, entering the area today known as South Africa as part of the Bantu expansion. Sony VAIO VPCZ12M9E/B Battery

There were 2 broad waves of immigration to South Africa; Nguni and Sotho-Tswana. The former settled in the eastern coastal regions, while the latter settled primarily in the area known today as the Highveld — the large, relatively high central plateau of South Africa. Sony VAIO VPCZ13M9E/B Battery

By 1000AD the Bantu colonization of the eastern half of South Africa had been completed (but not Western Cape and Northern Cape, which are believed to have been inhabited by Khoisan people until Dutch colonisation). Sony VAIO VPCZ13V9E/X Battery

The Bantu-speaking society was highly a decentralized feudal society organized on a basis of kraals (an enlarged clan), headed by a chief, who owed a very hazy allegiance to the nation’s head chief. According to Neil Parsons’s online Brief History of Botswana VAIO VPCZ13Z9E/X Battery

“From around 1095 south-eastern Botswana saw the rise of a new culture, characterized by a site on Moritsane hill near Gabane, whose pottery mixed the old western style with new Iron Age influences derived from the eastern Transvaal (Lydenburg culture). Sony VAIO VPCZZZHJ Battery

The Moritsane culture is historically associated with the Khalagari (Kgalagadi) chiefdoms, the westernmost dialect-group of Sotho (or Sotho-Tswana) speakers, whose prowess was in cattle raising and hunting rather than in farming. Sony VAIO VPZ117 Battery

“In east-central Botswana, the area within 80 or 100 kilometres of Serowe (but west of the railway line) saw a thriving farming culture, dominated by rulers living on Toutswe hill, between about 600-700AD and 1200-1300AD. Sony VAIO VPZ118 Battery

The prosperity of the state was based on cattle herding, with large corrals in the capital town and in scores of smaller hill-top villages. (Ancient cattleandsheep/goatcorrals are today revealed by characteristic grassgrowing on them.) The Toutswe people were also hunting westwards into the Kalahari and trading eastwards with the Limpopo. Sony VAIO VPZ119 Battery

East coast shells, used as trade currency, were already being traded as far west as Tsodilo by 700AD.

“The Toutswe state appears to have been conquered by its Mapungubwe state neighbour, centred on a hill at the Limpopo-Shashe confluence, between 1200AD and 1300AD. Sony VPCM11M1E/B Battery

Mapungubwe had been developing since about 1050 AD because of its control of the early gold trade coming down the Shashe, which was passed on for sale to sea traders on the Indian Ocean. The site of Toutswe town was abandoned, but the new rulers kept other settlements going – notably Bosutswe, a hill-top town in the west, Sony VPCM11M1E/W Battery

which supplied the state with hunting products, caught by Khoean hunters, and with Khoesan cattle given in trade or tribute from the Boteti River. But Mapungubwe’s triumph was short-lived, as it was superseded by the new state of Great Zimbabwe, north of the Limpopo River, which flourished in control of the gold trade from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Sony VPCM12M1E/L Battery

It is not known how far west the power of Great Zimbabwe extended. Certainly its successor state, the Butua state based at Kame near Bulawayo in western Zimbabwe from about 1450 onwards, controlled trade in salt and hunting dogs from the eastern Makgadikgadi pans, around which it built stone- walled command posts. Sony VPCM12M1E/P Battery
Bechuanaland Protectorate
In the late 19th century, hostilities broke out between the Shona inhabitants of Botswana and Ndebele tribes who were migrating into the territory from the Kalahari Desert. Tensions also escalated with the Boer settlers from the Transvaal. Sony VPCM12M1E/W Battery

After appeals by the Batswana leaders Khama III, Bathoen and Sebele for assistance, the British Government on 31 March 1885 put “Bechuanaland” under its protection. The northern territory remained under direct administration as the Bechuanaland Protectorate and is today’s Botswana, Sony VPCM13M1E/L Battery

while the southern territory became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa; the majority of Setswana-speaking people today live in South Africa. The Tati Concessions Land, formerly part of the Matabele kingdom, was administered from the Bechuanaland Protectorate after 1893, to which it was formally annexed in 1911. Sony VPCM13M1E/P Battery

When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 out of the main British colonies in the region, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Basutoland (now Lesotho), and Swaziland (the “High Commission Territories”) were not included, but provision was made for their later incorporation. Sony VPCM13M1E/W Battery

However, a vague undertaking was given to consult their inhabitants, and although successive South African governments sought to have the territories transferred, Britain kept delaying, and it never occurred. The election of the National Party government in 1948, which instituted apartheid, Sony VAIO VPCZ116GX/S Battery

and South Africa’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, ended any prospect of incorporation of the territories into South Africa.

An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils representing Africans and Europeans. Sony VAIO VPCZ117 Battery

Proclamations in 1934 regularized tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council.
Independent Botswana
In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. Sony VAIO VPCZ117FC/B Battery

The seat of government was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa, to newly established Gaborone in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on 30 September 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to the Ngwato chiefship, Sony VAIO VPCZ118 Battery

was elected as the first president, re-elected twice, and died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Ketumile Masire, who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in 1998. Sony VAIO VPCZ118GC/B Battery

The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Festus Mogae, who was elected in his own right in 1999 and re-elected in 2004. In April 2008, Vice President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama (Ian Khama), son of Seretse Khama the first president, succeeded to the presidency when Festus Mogae retired. Sony VAIO VPCZ118GX/S Battery

Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, north of South Africa. Botswana occupies an area of 600,370 square kilometres (231,800 sq mi), of which 585,000 km2 (226,000 sq mi) are land. Botswana has land boundaries of combined length 4,013 kilometres (2,494 mi), Sony VAIO VPCZ119 Battery

of which the constituent boundaries are shared with Namibia, for 1,360 km (850 mi); South Africa 1,840 km (1,140 mi); Zimbabwe, 813 km (505 mi) and Zambia, less than 1 km (0.62 mi). Much of the population of Botswana is concentrated in the eastern part of the country.

Sunshine totals are high all year round although winter is the sunniest period. The whole country is windy and dusty during the dry season. Sony VAIO VPCZ119FJ/S Battery

Botswana is semi-arid, due to the short rain season. However, the relatively high altitude of the country and its continental situation gives it a subtropical climate. The country is remote from moisture-laden air flows for most of the year. The dry season lasts from April to October in the south and to November in the north where, however, rainfall totals are higher. Sony VAIO VPCZ119GC/X Battery

The south of the country is most exposed to cold winds during the winter period (early May to late August) when average temperatures are around 14 °C (57.2 °F). The whole country has hot summers with average temperatures around 26 °C (78.8 °F). Sunshine totals are high all year round although winter is the sunniest period. Sony VAIO VPCZ119L Battery

The whole country is windy and dusty during the dry season.[1]
Orography
The land is predominantly flat to gently undulating tableland, although there is some hilly country, where mining is carried out. The Kalahari Desert is in the central and the southwest. Sony VAIO VPCZ119R/B Battery

The Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, is in the northwest and the Makgadikgadi Pans, a large salt pan lies in the north-central area. The Makgadikgadi has been established as an early habitation area for primitive man; This large seasonal wetland is composed of several large component pans, the largest being Nwetwe Pan, Sony VAIO VPCZ119R/S Battery

Sua Pan and Nxai Pan.[2] Botswana’s lowest elevation point is at the junction of theLimpopo and Shashe Rivers, at a height of 513 m (1,683 ft). The highest point is Monalanong Hill, at 1,494 m (4,902 ft). The country is divided into four drainage regions, which are sometimes indistinct due to the arid nature of the climate: Sony VAIO VPCZ11AFJ Battery

the Chobe River on the border with the Caprivi Strip of Namibia together with a small adjacent swampy area is part of theZambezi basin;

most of the north and central region of the country is part of the Okavango inland drainage basin; Sony VAIO VPCZ11AGJ Battery

the easternmost part of the country falls into the Limpopo drainage basin;

the southern and southwestern regions, which are the driest of all, are drained by the Molopo river along the South African border and the Nossob river through the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, Sony VAIO VPCZ11AVJ Battery

and are technically part of the basin of the Orange river. None of these rivers normally flows as far as the Orange, however. (The last recorded confluence was in the 1880s.)[3]

Except for the Chobe, Okavango, Boteti and Limpopo rivers, most of Botswana’s rivers cease to flow during the dry and early rainy seasons. Sony VAIO VPCZ11CGX/X Battery
Natural hazards
Botswana is affected by periodic droughts, and seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust, which can obscure visibility.
Environment
Current environmental issues in Botswana are overgrazing, desertification and the existence of only limited fresh water resources. Sony VAIO VPCZ11DGX/SJ Battery

Research from the University of Botswana has found that the common practice of overstocking cattle to cope with drought losses actually depletes scarce biomass, making ecosystems more vulnerable. The study of the Kgatleng district predicts that by 2050 the cycle of mild drought is likely to become shorter —18 months instead of two years—due to climate change.[4] Sony VAIO VPCZ11FHX/XQ Battery
International agreements
Botswana is a party to the following international agreements: Diamond Industry, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection and Wetlands. Sony VAIO VPCY11AHJ Battery

Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, north of South Africa. Botswana occupies an area of 600,370 square kilometres (231,800 sq mi), of which 585,000 km2 (226,000 sq mi) are land. Sony VAIO VPCY11AVJ Battery

Botswana has land boundaries of combined length 4,013 kilometres (2,494 mi), of which the constituent boundaries are shared with Namibia, for 1,360 km (850 mi); South Africa 1,840 km (1,140 mi); Zimbabwe, 813 km (505 mi) and Zambia, less than 1 km (0.62 mi). Much of the population of Botswana is concentrated in the eastern part of the country. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E/S Battery

Sunshine totals are high all year round although winter is the sunniest period. The whole country is windy and dusty during the dry season.

Botswana is semi-arid, due to the short rain season. However, the relatively high altitude of the country and its continental situation gives it a subtropical climate. Sony VAIO VPCY11S1E Battery

The country is remote from moisture-laden air flows for most of the year. The dry season lasts from April to October in the south and to November in the north where, however, rainfall totals are higher. The south of the country is most exposed to cold winds during the winter period (early May to late August) when average temperatures are around 14 °C (57.2 °F). Sony VAIO VPCY11V9E/S Battery

The whole country has hot summers with average temperatures around 26 °C (78.8 °F). Sunshine totals are high all year round although winter is the sunniest period. The whole country is windy and dusty during the dry season.[1] Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/BI Battery
Orography
The land is predominantly flat to gently undulating tableland, although there is some hilly country, where mining is carried out. The Kalahari Desert is in the central and the southwest. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/G Battery

The Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, is in the northwest and the Makgadikgadi Pans, a large salt pan lies in the north-central area. The Makgadikgadi has been established as an early habitation area for primitive man; This large seasonal wetland is composed of several large component pans, the largest being Nwetwe Pan, Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/L Battery

Sua Pan and Nxai Pan.[2] Botswana’s lowest elevation point is at the junction of theLimpopo and Shashe Rivers, at a height of 513 m (1,683 ft). The highest point is Monalanong Hill, at 1,494 m (4,902 ft). The country is divided into four drainage regions, which are sometimes indistinct due to the arid nature of the climate: Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/P Battery

the Chobe River on the border with the Caprivi Strip of Namibia together with a small adjacent swampy area is part of theZambezi basin;

most of the north and central region of the country is part of the Okavango inland drainage basin; Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery

the easternmost part of the country falls into the Limpopo drainage basin;

the southern and southwestern regions, which are the driest of all, are drained by the Molopo river along the South African border and the Nossob river through the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/P Battery
and are technically part of the basin of the Orange river. None of these rivers normally flows as far as the Orange, however. (The last recorded confluence was in the 1880s.)[3]
Except for the Chobe, Okavango, Boteti and Limpopo rivers, most of Botswana’s rivers cease to flow during the dry and early rainy seasons. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/SI Battery
Natural hazards
Botswana is affected by periodic droughts, and seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust, which can obscure visibility.
Environment
Current environmental issues in Botswana are overgrazing, desertification and the existence of only limited fresh water resources. Sony VAIO VPCZ110 Battery

Research from the University of Botswana has found that the common practice of overstocking cattle to cope with drought losses actually depletes scarce biomass, making ecosystems more vulnerable. Sony VAIO VPCZ110GB/BI Battery

The study of the Kgatleng district predicts that by 2050 the cycle of mild drought is likely to become shorter —18 months instead of two years—due to climate change.

Since independence, Botswana has had the highest average economic growth rate in the world, averaging about 9% per year from 1966 to 1999. Sony VAIO VPCZ112GD/S Battery

Growth in private sector employment has averaged about 10% per annum over the first 30 years of independence. The relatively high quality of the country’s statistics means that these figures are likely to be quite accurate. The government has consistently maintained budget surpluses and has extensive foreign exchange reserves. Sony VAIO VPCZ112GX/S Battery

Botswana’s impressive economic record has been built on a foundation of diamond mining, prudent fiscal policies, international financial and technical assistance, and a cautious foreign policy. Sony VAIO VPCZ114GX/S Battery

It is rated the least corrupt country in Africa, according to an international corruption watchdog, Transparency International. By one estimate, it has the fourth highest gross national income at purchasing power parity in Africa, giving it a standard of living around that of Mexico and Turkey.[4] Sony VAIO VPCZ115 Battery

Trade unions represent a minority of workers in the Botswana economy. In general they are loosely organized “in-house” unions, although the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) is consolidating its role as the sole national trade union centre in the country. Sony VAIO VPCZ115FC/B Battery
Overview
Agriculture still provides a livelihood for more than 80% of the population but supplies only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 3% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle raising predominate. Sony VAIO VPCZ115FC/S Battery

The sector is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils. Tourism is also important to the economy. Substantial mineral deposits were found in the 1970s and the mining sector grew from 25% of GDP in 1980 to 38% in 1998. Unemployment officially is 21% but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. Sony VAIO VPCZ116 Battery

The Orapa 2000 project doubled the capacity of the country’s main diamond mine from early 2000. This will be the main force behind continued economic expansion.

Economic growth slowed in 2007-2008, then turned negative in 2009, contracting by 5.2%.