Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Southern Africa, north of South Africa

slightly smaller than Texas

semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

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

periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

overgrazing; desertification; limited freshwater resources

landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English (official) 2.1%, other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

2,098,018 (July 2012 est.)

22.02 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

4.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population

GABORONE (capital) 196,000 (2009)

160 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

2.46 children born/woman (2012 est.)

0.336 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

1.81 beds/1,000 population (2008)

urban: 74% of population

rural: 39% of population

total: 60% of population

urban: 26% of population

rural: 61% of population

total: 40% of population

parliamentary republic

9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Pikwe*, South East, Southern

30 September 1966 (from the UK)

Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

March 1965; effective 30 September 1966

mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 35-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 27 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, of which 22 are indirectly elected with the remaining 5 appointed by the President) and the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms)

High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]; Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Gomolemo MOTSWALEDI]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Bernard BALIKANI]; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba JOINA]; New Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD]

First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center; the blue symbolizes water in the form of rain, while the black and white bands represent racial harmony

Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. However, economic growth was negative in 2009, with the industrial sector shrinking by 30%, after the global crisis reduced demand for Botswana's diamonds. Although the economy recovered in 2010, GDP growth has again slowed. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $16,800 in 2012. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP, 70-80% of export earnings, and about half of the government's revenues. Botswana's heavy reliance on a single luxury export was a critical factor in the sharp economic contraction of 2009. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. Unofficial estimates place unemployment at close to 40%. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond production within the next two decades overshadows long-term prospects. A major international diamond company signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 to move its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone by the end of 2013. The move will support Botswana's downstream diamond industry.

$31.49 billion (2012 est.)

$30.33 billion (2011 est.)

$28.86 billion (2010 est.)

$17.64 billion (2012 est.)

27.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

31.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

12.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

13.4% of GDP (2011 est.)

9.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

10% (31 December 2009 est.)

10.8% (31 December 2012 est.)

11% (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.28 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.153 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$7.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$7.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$415.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.114 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$4.107 billion (31 December 2011)

$4.076 billion (31 December 2010)

$4.278 billion (31 December 2009)

livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

$711.1 million (2012 est.)

$271 million (2011 est.)

$5.887 billion (2012 est.)

$6.458 billion (2011 est.)

diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

$5.883 billion (2012 est.)

$6.275 billion (2011 est.)

foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products

$8.648 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$8.082 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.968 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.969 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

pulas (BWP) per US dollar -

417 million kWh (2009 est.)

2.955 billion kWh (2009 est.)

2.89 billion kWh (2009 est.)

132,000 kW (2009 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

15,420 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

19,060 bbl/day (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

3.841 million Mt (2010 est.)

2 TV stations - 1 state-owned and 1 privately-owned; privately-owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 3 privately-owned radio stations broadcast locally (2007)

Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Arm Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2011)

18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; official minimum age is unknown (2001)