Portal:Botswana

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Coat of Arms of Botswana	Flag of Botswana

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Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 per cent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Being a country of slightly over 2.4 million people and roughly the size of France, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It is essentially the nation-state of the Tswana people, who constitute 70 per cent of the population.

The Tswana ethnic group are descended mainly from Bantu-speaking peoples who migrated into southern Africa, including modern Botswana, in several waves before AD 600. In 1885, the British colonised the area and declared a protectorate named Bechuanaland. As decolonisation occurred, Bechuanaland became an independent Commonwealth republic under its current name on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has been a parliamentary republic with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections, though as of 2024 the Botswana Democratic Party has been the ruling party since independence. As of 2024^[update], Botswana is the third least corrupt country in Africa, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International.

The economy is dominated by mining and tourism. Botswana has a GDP (purchasing power parity) per capita of about $20,158 as of 2024^[update]. Botswana is the world's biggest diamond-producing country. Its relatively high gross national income per capita (by some estimates the fourth-largest in Africa) gives the country a relatively high standard of living and the second-highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa (after South Africa). Botswana is a member of the Southern African Customs Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations. (Full article...)

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Masa Square Central Business District

The economy of Botswana is currently one of the world's fastest growing economies, averaging about 5% per annum over the past decade. Growth in private sector employment averaged about 10% per annum during the first 30 years of the country's independence. After a period of stagnation at the turn of the 21st century, Botswana's economy registered strong levels of growth, with GDP growth exceeding 6–7% targets. Botswana has been praised by the African Development Bank for sustaining one of the world's longest economic booms. Economic growth since the late 1960s has been on par with some of Asia's largest economies. The government has consistently maintained budget surpluses and has extensive foreign-exchange reserves.

Botswana's impressive economic record compared to some of its neighbors has been built on a foundation of diamond mining, prudent fiscal policies, and a cautious foreign policy. Botswana's economy is mostly dependent on diamond mining. Diamond mining contributes to 50% of the government revenue mainly through its 50:50 joint venture with De Beers in the Debswana Diamond Company. It is rated as the least corrupt country in Africa in the Corruption Perceptions Index by international corruption watchdog Transparency International. It has the fourth highest gross national income per capita in purchasing power in Africa and above the world average. (Full article...)

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... that World War II air ace Johnny Gibson formed Bechuanaland National Airways and Botswana National Airways in the 1960s?

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This is a good article, A-class article, featured list, or featured article, one of Wikipedia’s best work.

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The impala or rooibok (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus Aepyceros, and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to Europeans by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the grassland-dwelling common impala (sometimes referred to as the Kenyan impala), and the larger and darker black-faced impala, which lives in slightly more arid, scrubland environments. The impala reaches 70–92 cm (28–36 in) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 cm (18–36 in) long.

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts females in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Botswana-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1GDP per capita (current), compared to neighbouring countries (world average = 100) (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 2Satellite View of Gaborone. North is to the left of the image. (from Gaborone)
Image 3A road in Gaborone (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 4I-Towers, Gaborone Central Business District (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 5Man on donkey herding goats in a dry river bed (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 6Tswana Baskets (from Tswana people)
Image 7Francistown Stadium (from Francistown)
Image 8CBD Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 9Rhodesia Railways car at the national museum (from Gaborone)
Image 10Gaborone Mosque (from Gaborone)
Image 11Road map of Gaborone (from Gaborone)
Image 12Orapa House (from Gaborone)
Image 13New CBD (from Gaborone)
Image 14Ostriches at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 15Gaborone Hindu temple (from Gaborone)
Image 16View from Kgale Hill (Oodi Hill on horizon) (from Gaborone)
Image 17St. Joseph's College students (from Gaborone)
Image 18Tourist resort at Kasane (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 19SSKI Airport (from Gaborone)
Image 20An 1865 portrait of Kgosi Sechele I in Ntsweng Bechuanaland (from Tswana people)
Image 21The Jwaneng diamond mine is the second biggest in the world today. (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 22Madila sour cultured milk (from Tswana people)
Image 23Francistown Bus Terminal (from Francistown)
Image 24Kombi (Minibus taxi) (from Gaborone)
Image 25Watch house in Gaborone Game Reserve (from Gaborone)
Image 26Botswana Traditional Baskets (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 27BR Express, the passenger train (from Francistown)
Image 28Room 52 Roof Top Restaurant (from Gaborone)
Image 29Batswana Men dressed in traditional attire in 1946 (from Tswana people)
Image 30Flag map of Gaborone (from Gaborone)
Image 31Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 32A postage stamp circa 1943, the postmark reading "Gaborone's Village" (from Gaborone)
Image 33Gaborone aerial (from Gaborone)
Image 34Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 35Gaborone Hindu Temple (from Gaborone)
Image 36Graduation daggers that were given to Tswana Fighting Regiments (from Tswana people)
Image 37New Construction Developments (from Gaborone)
Image 38Botswana Gaborone I Towers (from Gaborone)
Image 39Botswana Traditional House at the National Museum (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 40Francistown City Bus and Taxi Rank (from Francistown)
Image 41Rev. Derek Jones, the first mayor of Gaborone
Image 42Christ The King Cathedral (from Gaborone)
Image 43Rail network map of Botswana (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 44Street scene near the Main Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 45Homestead in the ancient City of Kaditshwene
Image 46The National Assembly of Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 47CBD Developments (from Gaborone)
Image 48Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) (from Gaborone)
Image 49Magadi (traditional wedding) (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 50Aerial view over Okavango Delta (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 51I-Tower at Central Business District (from Gaborone)