FLAG: The flag of Botswana consists of five horizontal stripes. The top and bottom stripes are light blue and wider than the middle stripe, which is black. The blue stripes are separated from the black by thin white stripes.

ANTHEM: Fatshe La Rona (Blessed Country).

MONETARY UNIT: On 23 August 1976, the pula (p) of 100 thebe replaced the South African rand (r) as Botswana’s legal currency. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe and 1 pula, and notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pula. p1 = $0.19380 (or $1 = p5.16) as of 2005.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard.

HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; President’s Day, 15 July; Botswana Days, 30 September–1 October; Christmas, 25 December; Boxing Day, 26 December. Movable holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Ascension.

TIME: 2 pm = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It covers an area of 600,370 square kilometers (231,803 square miles). Comparatively, Botswana is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. It is bordered by Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia, and has a total land boundary length of 4,013 kilometers (2,493 miles). The capital, Gaborone, is located along the southeast border of the country.

2 Topography

Botswana is a broad tableland with an average altitude of 1,000 meters (3,300 feet). A vast plateau about 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) in height, extending north from Kenya to the Zimbabwean border, divides the country into two distinct regions. The eastern region is hilly bush country and grassland (veld). The Tsodilo Hills in the northwest mark the highest altitude in the country with a peak of 1,489 meters (4,886 feet).

To the west lies the swampy Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert. The only sources of year-round surface water are the Chobe River in the north, the Limpopo in the east, and the

GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Geographic Features

Area: 600,370 sq km (231,803 sq mi)

Size ranking: 44 of 194

Highest elevation: 1,489 meters (4,886 feet) at Otse Peak (Tsodilo Hills)

Lowest elevation: 513 meters (1,683 feet) at the junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers

Land Use*

Arable land: 1%

Permanent crops: 0%

Other: 99%

Weather**

Average annual precipitation: 45 centimeters (18 inches)

Average temperature in January: 18–33°c (64–91°f)

Average temperature in July: 5–22°c (41–72°f)

* Arable Land: Land used for temporary crops, like meadows for mowing or pasture, gardens, and greenhouses.

Permanent crops: Land cultivated with crops that occupy its use for long periods, such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, fruit and nut orchards, and vineyards.

Other: Any land not specified, including built-on areas, roads, and barren land.

** The measurements for precipitation and average temperatures were taken at weather stations closest to the country’s largest city.

Precipitation and average temperature can vary significantly within a country, due to factors such as latitude, altitude, coastal proximity, and wind patterns.

Okavango in the northwest. The intersection of the Limpopo and the Shashe Rivers marks the lowest point in the country at 513 meters (1,683 feet). The Limpopo is also the longest river with a length of 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles). In seasons of heavy rainfall, floodwaters flow into the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Lake Xau, and Lake Ngami, which is the largest lake with an area of 1,040 square kilometers (401 square miles).

3 Climate

Most of the country has a subtropical climate, with cooler temperatures at higher altitudes. Winter days are warm and nights are cool, with heavy frost common in the desert. Temperatures range from average maximums of 33°c (91°f) in January and 22°c (72°f) in July to average minimums of 18°c (64°f) in January and 5°c (41°f) in July. Beginning in August, seasonal winds blow from the west and carry sand and dust across the country. Rainfall normally averages 45 centimeters (18 inches), ranging from 69 centimeters (27 inches) in the north to less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) in the Kalahari. Drought conditions prevailed in the early and mid-1980s.

4 Plants and Animals

About 90% of Botswana is covered by some kind of savanna. Even the Kalahari Desert contains adequate vegetation to support tens of thousands of wild animals. Common trees are the mopane, camel-thorn, motopi (shepherd’s tree), and baobab. Botswana is a natural game reserve for most animals found in southern Africa, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, African buffalo, hyenas, and 22 species of antelope. The duiker (a small, horned antelope), wildebeest (gnu), and springbok (gazelle) are familiar. As of 2002, there were at least 164 species of mammals,

184 species of birds, and over 2,100 species of plants.

5 Environment

Overgrazing due to the rapid expansion of the cattle population is a continuing threat to the vegetation and wildlife of Botswana. There are 5 game reserves, 3 game sanctuaries, and 40 controlled hunting areas. About 18% of the land has been set aside for national parks and game reserves. Natural hazards to the environment include seasonal winds from the west that blow sand and dust across the country.

Botswana has a very limited water supply that is inadequate for its increasing population and the nation’s water shortage is worsened by periodic droughts. One major factor in Botswana’s water supply problem is that 68% of the country is part of the Kalahari Desert.

In 2006, six types of mammals and nine species of birds were considered threatened. Endangered species included black rhinoceros, the African hunting dog, and the African savanna elephant. Burchell’s zebra has become extinct.

6 Population

The population was estimated at 1.6 million in 2005. The projected population for the year 2025 was 1.6 million. The average population density in 2002 was three persons per square kilometer (seven per square mile), but nearly 80% of the population live on the better soils of the eastern strip of the country. About 60% of the population live in urban areas. Gaborone, the capital, had an estimated population of 19,000 in 2005.

7 Migration

At least 50,000 Botswanans are working in South Africa. In October 1998, some 2,500 asylum seekers entered Botswana from the Caprivi region of Namibia. In 2000, there were 52,000 migrants living in Botswana, including 3,800 refugees. In 2005, the estimated net migration rate was 6.1 per 1,000 population.

8 Ethnic Groups

The population of Botswana is distributed among eight tribes: the Bamangwato, Batswana, Bakwena, Bangwaketsi, Bakgatla, Barolong, Bamalete, and Batlokwa. The largest group is the Tswana (Setswana or Batswana), which account for 79% of the population. Each tribe has its own territory. Tribal land comprises about 71% of the country. The next largest group of indigenous peoples is the Kalanga, which accounts for about 11% of the population. There are about 3% Basarwa (Bushmen). Kgalagadi and whites account for about 7%.

In general, residents of Botswana are called Botswanans (plural) or a Motswana (singular).

9 Languages

English is the official language. Setswana, however, is spoken by most Botswanans.

10 Religions

About half the population practice traditional African religions and the rest are Christian. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, formerly the London Missionary Society, claim the largest numbers of Christian followers. There are also Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Mennonites, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Dutch Reformed Church, and other Christian denominations. About 1% of the population are Muslim and about 1% are Hindu. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution. Certain Christian holidays are officially observed.

11 Transportation

In 2003, Botswana had 25,233 kilometers (8,867 miles) of roads, of which 8,867 kilometers (5,506 miles) were paved. Paved roads have been extended to the Zambian and Zimbabwean borders. In 2003, there were 52,120 passenger cars and 75,400 commercial vehicles. The main railroad from Cape Town in South Africa to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe runs through Botswana for a distance of 641 kilometers (398 miles). Botswana had a total of 888 kilometers (552 miles) of railways in 2004.

The government-owned Air Botswana operates domestic flights and international service to Johannesburg, South Africa; Mbabane, Swaziland; and Harare, Zimbabwe. Air passengers arriving and departing Botswana during 2003 totaled 183,000.

12 History

Early History According to tradition, the founder of the Batswana tribe was a 14th-century chief named Mogale. His great-great-grandson Malope had three sons: Kwena, Ngwaketse, and Ngwato. They became the chiefs of the major tribes that now inhabit Botswana.

The foundation of the modern state began in the late 1800s. Up to that time, the Batswana had no permanent contact with europeans, except for the missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat and David Livingstone, who had established missions in the first half of the 19th century. When the European powers began to invade southern Africa in the latter half of the 19th century, hostility developed between the Batswana and the European settlers. Khama III, who in 1872 became chief of the Bamangwato people, appealed to the United Kingdom for assistance. In response, the whole of what was then known as Bechuanaland was placed under the protection of England’s Queen Victoria in 1885.

The territory south of the Molopo River was established as the crown colony of British Bechuanaland. In 1895, it was incorporated into

BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Name: Festus Mogae

Position: President of a parliamentary republic

Took Office: 1 April 1998 (not by election), in 2004 his political party won a second 5-year mandate to rule

Birthplace: Serowe, Botswana

Birthdate: 21 August 1939

Education: Oxford University, bachelor of arts degree in economics, 1968; Sussex University, master’s of arts degree in development economics, 1970

Children: Three children

Of interest: Mogae was awarded the presidential Order of Honour of Botswana in 1989.

South Africa. The northern part of the territory, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, which stayed British, was governed by the high commissioner in South Africa beginning in 1891. The South African Act of Union of 1909, which created the Union (now Republic) of South Africa, provided for the eventual transfer to South Africa of Bechuanaland along with Basutoland and Swaziland.

Modern History The first significant political progress was made in 1921 and 1922 with the creation of European and African advisory councils, together with a joint advisory council. In 1961, executive and legislative councils were created. Seretse Khama was elected prime minister in Bechuanaland’s first general elections. Then in 1965 a constitution was written. Final constitutional talks were held in London in February 1966. On 30 September 1966, under the leadership of Khama, the newly named Republic of Botswana came into being.

During this first decade of independence, Botswana refused to support United Nations sanctions against South Africa. Although officially opposed to apartheid (a policy of political and economic discrimination based on race), Botswana was economically dependent on South Africa. After the 1969 elections, Khama banned imports from white-minority-ruled Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Tensions were high in the 1970s as Botswana sheltered 20,000 refugees from Rhodesia, and Rhodesian armed forces crossed into Botswana on raids against guerrillas (people who engage in nontraditional warfare).

South Africa accused Botswana of allowing rebels to terrorize South Africa. In 1985, South African commandos killed several South African refugees in Gaborone. Further South African border violations and attacks in Botswana continued, but by 1992 the two countries established formal diplomatic relations.

The economy in Botswana declined in 1995. There were protests from citizens who needed jobs and government help to survive. The government announced a plan of reforms to try to improve economic and living conditions. In addition, constitutional reforms limited the president to two terms and the voting age was lowered to 18.

In 1999, Festus Mogae was elected president. He faced a number of issues such as environmental degradation, the need to diversify the economy, and political power struggles within the ruling party. Political and economic challenges have taken a back seat to the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic. The government’s goal is to have no new infections by 2016. Botswana has been praised for being the first country in Africa to widely distribute drugs to combat AIDS through its public health system.

Mogae’s Botswana Democratic Party won victory in the 2004 elections. Mogae began his second five-year term. He announced that he would relinquish the presidency in 2008, however.

13 Government

Botswana is a republic. Under its constitution, the president is elected by the National Assembly and is chief of state, chief executive, and commander in chief of the armed forces. The president appoints a cabinet from among the National Assembly members. The president can veto any bill, but if it is passed again within six months, the president must either sign it or dissolve the Assembly. All citizens over the age of 18 can vote. Both the president and the Assembly are elected for five-year terms. The National Assembly has 57 seats held by directly elected members and 4 appointed by the majority party.

The House of Chiefs consists of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four chiefs elected from minority districts, and three others elected by the House. Botswana has both a High Court and traditional village councils, called kgotla, where villagers can express opinions. Botswana is one of Africa’s few stable multiparty democracies and has a commendable human rights record.

14 Political Parties

Botswana’s leading party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), was founded in late 1961, pledging itself to democracy, nonracialism, and a multiparty state. Other parties include the Botswana People’s Party, the Botswana Independence Party, the Botswana National Front (BNF), and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Botswana is an active member of the Southern Africa Development Community. In the 2004 National Assembly elections, the BDP won 44 parliamentary seats, with the remaining seats going to the BNF (12) and the BCP (1).

Yearly Growth Rate

This economic indicator tells by what percent the economy has increased or decreased when compared with the previous year.

15 Judicial System

The constitution provides for a high court, a court of appeal, and lower courts. The African Courts Proclamation of 1961 provides for courts knowledgeable in tribal law and custom, presided over by chiefs. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches.

16 Armed Forces

The Botswana Defense Force (ground and air units) is estimated at 9,000 or more members, of which all but 500 are in the army. There also are about 1,500 paramilitary police. The defense budget in 2005 totaled $359 million.

17 Economy

Botswana’s economy was dependent almost entirely on livestock production until the 1970s, when the country became an important exporter of diamonds and other minerals. Foreign investment in agriculture, tourism, and industry, together with the rapid growth in diamond production, helped Botswana achieve high economic growth from independence through the early 21st century.

Agriculture still employed an estimated 80% of the labor force in the early 21st century. Intense competition for water resources has affected industrial development plans.

Economic growth was 5.3% in 2005; Botswana had an inflation rate of about 8.3%. Although Botswana had good roads and communications, and dependable utilities, there was a general lack of technical and managerial skills among its workers. High rates of unemployment and poverty keep the country from fully sharing its economic success with all its citizens. HIV/AIDS rates are among the highest in the world, with 37% of the sexually active population (defined as those between the ages of 15 and 49) being HIV positive. This high rate is expected to force a greater percentage of the population into poverty.

Botswana was in the process of diversifying its economy in 2005. It was encouraging foreign investment in non-mining sectors of the economy, including light manufacturing, tourism, financial services, and pharmaceuticals.

18 Income

In 2005, Botswana’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $16.6 billion, or $10,100 per person. The annual growth rate of GDP was estimated at 5.3%. The average inflation rate in 2005 was 8.3%.

Components of the Economy

This pie chart shows how much of the country’s economy is devoted to agriculture (including forestry, hunting, and fishing), industry, or services.

19 Industry

Industry overall contributed nearly half (47%) of the gross domestic product (GDP). Botswana’s small manufacturing sector contributed approximately 5% to the GDP in 2004. Botswana produces textiles, beverages, chemicals, metals, plastics, and electrical products. The chemicals industry has expanded—soda ash (for use in steel, glass, paper, and detergent manufacturing industries) is an important commodity.

The production of copper and nickel has contributed to an increase in the local production of electrical components. The motor industry is growing. Vehicle assembly, tire manufacturing, leather finishing, paint manufacturing, batteries, and the manufacture of spare parts are government priorities and opportunities for foreign investment. The diamond industry is very important—Botswana has been referred to as the world’s largest diamond producer in terms of the quality and grade of its diamonds.

Mining accounted for more than one-third of the GDP and for 80% of the value of Botswana’s exports in 2005.

20 Labor

The vast majority of the labor force is engaged in subsistence agriculture (living off the land) and livestock raising. In 2004, 288,400 people were officially employed. In 2004, an estimated 23.8% of the working population was unemployed.

An employment act controls employment contracts, work by women and children, wage guarantees, conditions of work, and paid holidays. The hours and working conditions of children in rural areas are difficult to monitor. There was a government-set minimum wage of $0.64 per hour in 2005. This is well below the amount required to support even a single person, but most earn more than the minimum wage.

21 Agriculture

Less than 1% of the total land area is used for agriculture, mostly in the eastern region. Crop production is limited by traditional farming methods, frequent drought, erosion, and disease. The principal crops for domestic use are sorghum, corn, and millet. Annual production includes approximately 32,000 tons of sorghum and 10,000 tons of corn. In 2004, Botswana’s agricultural imports exceeded agricultural exports by $102.5 million. Grain is usually imported from South Africa. Smaller quantities of cowpeas, beans, and other pulses are also grown. The annual output of all these crops is about 20,000 tons. In addition, around 16,000 tons of vegetables and 10,000 tons of fruit are grown each year.

22 Domesticated Animals

In 2004, the cattle population was about 1.7 million. Other livestock included approximately 2.3 million goats, 400,000 sheep, 33,000 horses, 330,000 donkeys, and 4 million poultry. Cattle are valued as signs of wealth and prestige and are used in the payment of bride price (dowry). Herds are grazed in the open veld where water and grass are available. A gradual upgrading of stock quality has been achieved through selective breeding, culling, and controlled grazing. A vaccine institute was opened in 1981 to deal with the threat of foot-and-mouth disease.

In 2004, annual meat production totaled about 54,100 tons, with beef accounting for around 28,000 tons. Much of Botswana’s annual beef production is exported to South Africa and Western Europe. Beef and beef products are Botswana’s second largest export earner (after minerals).

23 Fishing

Botswana is landlocked, but some fishing for local consumption is carried out by the inhabitants of the Limpopo River Valley and the Okavango region. In 2003, the catch was estimated at 122 tons.

24 Forestry

About 47% of Botswana’s land area is covered with forests and woodlands. The indigenous forests of northeast Ngamiland include the valuable mukwa, mukusi, and mopane woods. In 2003, roundwood production was an estimated 755,000 cubic meters (27 million cubic feet).

25 Mining

Botswana is home to the world’s largest gem diamond mine and is the leading producer of diamonds by value. The diamond sector accounted for 36% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2003. Nickel, cobalt, and soda ash production also played significant roles in the economy. The northeast contains copper, nickel, and precious metals; the northwest has copper and silver; and the south holds base and precious metals. Other valuable minerals produced include agate, clay, coal, cobalt, gold, salt, sand, silver, soda ash, and construction stone.

The world’s largest gem diamond mine was opened at Jwaneng in 1982. In 2003, Jwaneng recovered 12.8 million carats. Reserves and resources in Jwaneng are reported to be 287.6 million tons at a grade of 143.6 carats per hundred tons. The United Nations sanctions against “conflict diamonds” from civil war zones in Angola, Congo, and Sierra Leone have increased the market appeal of diamonds from Botswana. Botswana’s total diamond output for 2003 was 30.4 million carats.

In 2003, the country produced an estimated 102,000 kilograms of other precious gemstones, principally agate. Gold output was only 8 kilograms in 2003. National output for mined copper in 2003 was 30,400 tons; for mined nickel, 32,740 tons; and for smelted cobalt, 283 tons. A brine mining and treatment facility at Sua Pan produced 309,350 tons of soda ash and 233,643 tons of salt.

Yearly Balance of Trade

The balance of trade is the difference between what a country sells to other countries (its exports) and what it buys (its imports). If a country imports more than it exports, it has a negative balance of trade (a trade deficit). If exports exceed imports there is a positive balance of trade (a trade surplus).

26 Foreign Trade

The primary exports include diamonds, copper, and nickel. Primary imports include machinery and electrical goods, vehicles, transport equipment, petroleum products, food, beverages, and textiles. Botswana imports much of its food and other basic needs, primarily through South Africa. Its leading trade partners are the European Union countries, other Southern African Customs Union nations (South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland), and Zimbabwe.

Selected Social Indicators

The statistics below are the most recent estimates available as of 2006. For comparison purposes, data for the United States and averages for low-income countries and high-income countries are also given. About 15% of the world’s 6.5 billion people live in high-income countries, while 37% live in low-income countries.

Indicator	Botswana	Low-income countries	High-income countries	United States
sources: World Bank. World Development Indicators. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2006; Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006; World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.
Per capita gross national income (GNI)*	$9,580	$2,258	$31,009	$39,820
Population growth rate	1.5%	2%	0.8%	1.2%
People per square kilometer of land	3	80	30	32
Life expectancy in years: male	36	58	76	75
female	35	60	82	80
Number of physicians per 1,000 people	0.4	0.4	3.7	2.3
Number of pupils per teacher (primary school)	26	43	16	15
Literacy rate (15 years and older)	81.2%	65%	>95%	99%
Television sets per 1,000 people	44	84	735	938
Internet users per 1,000 people	35	28	538	630
Energy consumed per capita (kg of oil equivalent)	n.a.	501	5,410	7,843
CO₂ emissions per capita (metric tons)	2.31	0.85	12.97	19.92
* The GNI is the total of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country in a year. The per capita GNI is calculated by dividing a country’s GNI by its population and adjusting for relative purchasing power.
n.a.: data not available >: greater than <: less than

27 Energy and Power

Most electric power is generated thermally. In 2002, annual coal production was about 992,000 tons, and was used mostly for the production of electricity. The government is considering constructing a coal-fired power plant with which to export power to South Africa. Several companies are prospecting for oil.

28 Social Development

Traditionally, social welfare needs have been provided by tribal custom. In 1996, however, Botswana’s first universal pension program was inaugurated. It covers all citizens aged 65 and older, and is funded completely by the government. Drinking water supplies, public schools, and health clinics have been established in almost every village.

Traditional views of male dominance prevail. Men may physically punish their wives for wrongdoing, and spousal abuse is common. Sexual harassment, rape, and other violence against women are widespread. Women require their husbands’ consent to buy or sell property, obtain a loan, or sign a contract. There are legal provisions, however, that allow women to marry “out of common property” and thereby retain their legal rights.

29 Health

As of 2004, there were 40 doctors for every 100,000 people in the country. The major health problems are malnutrition and tuberculosis. As of 2000, 17% of children under five years of age were considered malnourished.

The average life expectancy in 2005 was 36 years for men. The largest change in life expectancy was for females, which dropped from 60 years in 1980 to 40 years in 1999 to 35 years in 2005. The infant mortality rate in 2005 was 54.58 per 1,000 live births.

At the end of 2004, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at 350,000, and deaths from AIDS in 2003 were estimated at 33,000.

30 Housing

There is no overcrowding in tribal villages, but slums have developed in the larger towns. The Botswana Housing Corporation, a public enterprise, concentrates its efforts on major urban areas.

A government policy on housing has aided those who cannot afford to purchase a home by having them learn the skills necessary to build their own. This self-help policy has been useful to rural residents.

Housing ranges from flats and bungalows to huts and all other structures intended for human use. Approximately two-thirds of housing units at last estimate had no sanitation facilities, such as pit latrines and flush toilets. The water supply is piped or drawn from wells, river beds, rivers, or other sources.

31 Education

Education at the primary level lasts for seven years, but it is not compulsory. Five years of secondary education are available. Schooling is conducted in Setswana for the first four years and in English for the remaining years. The student-to-teacher ratio at the primary level averages 26 to 1. About 81% of primary-school-age children are enrolled in school, while around 54% of those eligible attend secondary school.

The University of Botswana has a faculty of social sciences, education, sciences, agriculture, and humanities. Universities and equivalent institutions have a total of about 8,000 pupils. As of 2004, the adult literacy rate was estimated at 81.2%.

32 Media

In 2003, there were 75 mainline telephones for every 1,000 people and 297 mobile cellular phones for every 1,000 people.

The government controls the content of nearly all radio and television broadcasts. Radio Botswana broadcasts (in English and Setswana) a variety of news, educational, cultural, and entertainment programs. In 2003, there were 150 radios and 44 televisions for every 1,000 people. In 2003, there were about 40.7 personal computers in use for every 1,000 people and 35 of every 1,000 people had access to the Internet.

There is one daily newspaper in Botswana, the government-published Dikgang Tsa Gompieno (or Daily News, circulation 50,000 in 2002), available in both English and Setswana. The government also publishes, in a bilingual edition, the monthly magazine Kutlwaro (circulation 24,000). In 2002, four independent newspapers were publishing on a weekly basis, with a total circulation of over 50,000. Megi Wa Digmang, or The Reporter, is published in both Setswana and English with a weekly circulation of 24,000. The major political parties publish monthly journals.

The constitution of Botswana ensures a free press and free speech, and the government is said to highly respect these rights.

33 Tourism and Recreation

Around 975,000 tourists visited Botswana in 2003, of which more than 865,000 are from other African nations. As of 2003, there were 3,589 hotel rooms with 6,646 beds. The government sought to increase income from tourism in the 21st century.

Botswana’s beautiful and well-stocked game reserves are its principal tourist attraction, with both hunting and photographic safaris available. The Okavango Delta region is a maze of waterways, islands, and lakes during the rainy season. It includes the Moremi Game Reserve. Nearby is Chobe National Park.

The Kalahari Desert is another attraction, as are the country’s tapestry weavers, potters, and rugmakers. The Tsodilo Hills have cave paintings by the ancestors of the Basarwa (Bushmen), the earliest known inhabitants of Botswana. The government’s “National Conservation Strategy and Tourism Policy” is intended to promote tourism while protecting wildlife areas.

34 Famous Botswanans

Khama III (1837–1923), chief of the Bamangwato and a Christian convert, ruled Botswana for 48 years. His grandson, Sir Seretse Khama (1921–1980), was Botswana’s first president. Quett Ketumile Joni Masire (b.1925) succeeded him in 1980.