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 were descended mainly from Bantu-speaking tribes who migrated southward of Africa to modern Botswana around 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. , 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 . 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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Kelebantse Sebele II (1892 – 2 October 1939) was kgosi of the Kwena tribe in the Bechuanaland Protectorate (present-day Botswana). He succeeded his father, Sechele II, in 1918. Sebele quickly came into conflict with other members of his family and with the British colonial administration, which deemed him uncooperative and unstable.

Sebele was exiled by the colonial administration in 1931, in an effort led by the new resident commissioner Charles Rey. The administration accused Sebele of corruption and oppression of his people. Sebele's removal incited anger among the Bakwena, who continued to recognise him as the legitimate kgosi. He was succeeded by his younger brother Kgari Sechele II, who was chosen by Rey despite not being next in the line of succession. Sebele's son Moruakgomo Sechele became a pretender, triggering a succession crisis in 1962. (Full article...)

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... that as of 2008, there is no treaty covering the border between Botswana and Namibia, which remains as defined in a treaty signed between the British and German Empires in 1890?

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

The red ribbon is a symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. It can be managed with treatment. Without treatment it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Effective treatment for HIV-positive people (people living with HIV) involves a life-long regimen of medicine to suppress the virus, making the viral load undetectable. There is no vaccine or cure for HIV. An HIV-positive person on treatment can expect to live a normal life, and die with the virus, not of it. (Full article...)

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

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