The 1994 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with
Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe)
River
Climate:
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain:
predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in
southwest
Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
silver
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
75%
forest and woodland:
2%
other:
21%
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
overgrazing; desertification; water scarcity
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity
Note:
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
@Botswana, People
Population:
1,359,352 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.45% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
32.19 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
7.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
39.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
63.05 years
male:
60.03 years
female:
66.16 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.06 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic divisions:
Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
Languages:
English (official), Setswana
Literacy:
age 15 and over able to read and write simple sentences (1990 est.)
total population:
23%
male:
32%
female:
16%
Labor force:
428,000 (1992)
by occupation:
220,000 formal sector employees, most others are engaged in cattle
raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.); 14,300 are employed
in various mines in South Africa (March 1992)
@Botswana, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Botswana
conventional short form:
Botswana
former:
Bechuanaland
Digraph:
BC
Type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
Gaborone
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng,
Ngamiland, North-East, South-East, Southern; in addition, there are 4
town councils - Francistown, Gaborone, Lobaste, Selebi-Phikwe
Independence:
30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 September (1966)
Constitution:
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980); Vice President
Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992); election last held 7 October 1989
(next to be held October 1994); results - President Sir Ketumile
MASIRE was reelected by the National Assembly
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament
House of Chiefs:
is a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of chiefs of the 8
principal tribes, 4 elected subchiefs, and 3 members selected by the
other 12
National Assembly:
elections last held 7 October 1989 (next to be held October 1994);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (38 total of which 34
are elected and 4 are appointed) BDP 31, BNF 3, unfilled seats pending
new elections 4
Judicial branch:
High Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Sir Ketumile MASIRE; Botswana
National Front (BNF), Kenneth KOMA; Botswana People's Party (BPP),
Knight MARIPE; Botswana Independence Party (BIP), Motsamai MPHO
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,