Botswana

Botswana A landlocked country in southern Africa, which was occupied by British troops in 1884 and named Bechuanaland. In 1885, its northern half was declared a British protectorate, while the southern part became a British Crown Colony. Despite South Africa's initial desire to incorporate the territory, it remained under British sovereignty, though in 1961 it was given some degree of home rule. In 1962, the Bechuanaland (later Botswana) Democratic Party (BDP) was founded by Khama, and became the predominant political party. Khama became President upon independence in 1966.

 Since the desert state relied heavily on agricultural imports and was entirely surrounded by South African-ruled Namibia, South Africa, and Rhodesia, it was very vulnerable to the international boycott first against Rhodesia (until 1979), and then against the apartheid regime in South Africa. Despite several border attacks by the South African army on the capital, Gaborone, in search of ANC members, it continued to provide a sanctuary for resistance to apartheid. As a result of widespread drought its agricultural sector, which employed almost 50 per cent of the population, experienced a sharp decline during the 1980s. This prompted large-scale structural reforms under Khama's successor, Masire, also from the BDP, in order to increase employment and reduce infrastructural, economic, and technological dependence on South Africa. Economic problems, as well as corruption scandals involving MPs from the BDP, led to heavy losses by that party in the elections of 15 October 1994, when it gained 53.1 per cent of the popular vote. However, divisions in the opposition ensured the BDP's re-election in 1999 with 33 out of 40 parliamentary seats. In the late 1990s, Botswana's wealth in diamond mines ensured rapid economic growth of over 10 per cent per year. On the other hand, Botswana has the world's highest proportion of AIDS sufferers, with every third adult estimated to be infected by HIV in 2000.

Southern African Development Community (sadc)