Country Information on Botswana 

Terrain

Botswana mainly consists of the plateau of the Kalahari Desert in the south west and has some hills in the eastern part of the country. Its highest peak is Tsodilo Hill at 1,489 m. In the north west, the Okavango River flows into the Kalahari basin and forms an inland delta of almost 10,000 km², since there is a high evaporation rate and no precipitation. Only when the river level rises sharply, does the river stretch around 200 km further to the east, reaching the Makgadikgadi saltpans.

Climate

Botswana's climate can be relatively cool, particularly during the dry months (May to September) when temperatures drop sharply in the evening and there is occasionally frost during the night. Summers (lasting from October to March), on the other hand, are very hot with some short, but heavy rainfall. The rainy season coincides with the hot period and precipitation is concentrated in the north and east of the country. The total amount of rainfall is relatively small and most of it evaporates as a result of high temperatures (up to 40°C) and winds that regularly blow over the higher areas.

Fauna/Flora

Botswana is considered to be one of Africa's untouched natural regions. The Okavango Delta with its canals, lagoons and hundreds of small islands is a unique paradise that is home to many birds, plants and small animals.

Nature reserves, which account for 17% of the country, have almost all the species of mammals found in Botswana, such as in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and the Chobe National Park. Predators such as lions, hyenas, cheetahs and leopards, as well herds of zebra, impala, giraffes and buffalos and prides of lions are often seen at the Moremi Wildlife Reserve.

Chobe National Park is well known for its immense elephant population. Herds often have up to 500 animals, which regularly come with their babies to drink from the waterholes. Elephants favour the region of the Chobe River, which forms a natural border with Namibia. Small mammals such as yellow monkeys and mongooses, as well as an impressive range of colourful birds (more than 500 local species) are also found in Botswana. South east of Chobe are Botswana's Makgadikgadi saltpans, which attract several species of antelope and many flamingos.

History/Politics

Present-day Botswana was originally inhabited by Bushmen driven out by Tswana immigrants (people with Bantu origins) in the early 19th century. In 1885, the region was declared a British protectorate at the request of the Tswana chief, in the face of aggression from the Boers of Transvaal, who kept attacking the territory.

The colonial years marked a peaceful period in the country's history. The British Protectorate of Bechuanaland gained autonomy in 1961 and became the Republic of Botswana upon independence in 1966. In the period before independence in 1966, there were no secondary schools and even its administrative centre was situated in Mafeking in South Africa. Sir Seretse Khama became the country's first president.

Although Botswana depended economically on its neighbouring countries, the white alliance of Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe), Namibia and South Africa, Seretse Khama sided politically with the black African countries. After the death of Khama in 1980, Quett Ketumile J. Masire assumed power. He was faced with growing popular unrest caused by the social situation.

In 1990 the rate of unemployment reached 25%, predominantly amongst young people in urban centres. The ruling party therefore lost votes. In 1994, despite the fact that the opposition had clearly gained votes, Masire was re-elected, though he stepped down in 1998. In April that year, Vice President Festus Mogae became President. In 2003, the government committed itself to removing from the constitution three clauses that discriminated against ethnic minorities so as to promote unity and cultural diversity in the country. In October 2004, Mogae was re-elected for a second Presidential term.

Economy

After it had gained independence in 1966, Botswana was considered to be one of the world's poorest countries. A year later, however, the world's second largest diamond mine to date was discovered in Orapa. The export of diamonds formed the basis of an extraordinarily strong and stable economic growth, which has brought the country a certain amount of welfare.

Despite high growth rates, unemployment continued to be very high and Botswana had to import food from South Africa. Encouraged by the economic growth it had seen, Botswana separated from the monetary area that had been formed on the basis of the South African Rand in 1976 and introduced its own currency, the Pula. After a few decades, economic growth slowed and the unemployment rate rose to 25%, as a result of structural problems with the local economy and the limited demand for diamonds. In addition to the exploitation of the diamond mines, the country's economy mainly revolves around agriculture.

Despite the fact that over 80% of the population works in agriculture, only about half of amount of food that the population needs is produced, as a result of the poor soil and periods of drought that hit the country. In 2003, the unemployment rate was 40% and inflation was 10.1%.

Culture

Botswana has a rich cultural tradition in dances and festivals. One of the most important festivities is the Go Ntsha Botsesi, which is celebrated following the birth of a child. After giving birth to a child, the mothers usually stay with their mothers and other women from the village. A large festivity then takes place, in which the baby is presented to the male members of the family and is given a name. This ceremony is followed by a big meal and traditional dances. Other important festivals are Independence Day, President's Day, Christmas, New Year and Easter.