About Botswana
Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa; Botswana enjoys a mild climate in the east and the Kalahari Desert dominates the west and the south. The Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in the north are areas of natural beauty and rich in animal life. In the Chobe National Park the elephants are the largest in body size of all living elephants; the elephant population numbers around 120,000. Botswana received its independence from Great Britain in 1966. It is Africa’s longest continuous democracy and one of the world’s biggest diamond producers.
Economy
Industry:
Diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, livestock processing, textiles
Agriculture:
Sorghum, maize, millet; livestock
Exports:
Diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat
Botswana Flag
Fast Facts
Population: 1,640,000
Capital: Gaborone
Area: 581,730 square kilometers, (224,607 square miles)
Language: English, Setswana
Religion: Indigenous beliefs, Christian
Currency: Pula
Life Expectancy: 37 years
Literacy Percent: 80
GDP per Capita: U.S. $8,500
Text Source: National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004
Food in Botswana