Geography

Botswana covers an area of 224,607 square miles (581,703 square kilometers). It is a landlocked country, meaning that it is entirely surrounded by land. Botswana is bordered on the northeast by Zimbabwe, on the south and southeast by South Africa, and on the west and north by Namibia. In the north Botswana also shares a short border with Zambia.

Rivers form many of the country's borders. In the north, the Chobe River separates Botswana from Namibia. The Limpopo River and its tributaries run along the borders with Zimbabwe and South Africa. The Molopo River marks Botswana's southern border with South Africa.

Botswana is almost entirely flat. The terrain is hilly only in the southeast. The country has three distinct geographic areas. The eastern region features hardveld, or rocky hill ranges. Most of the country's population lives there. The Kalahari Desert covers most of the southern and western parts of the country. The Kalahari is covered mostly with grasses and scrub. Only a small portion in the southwest is true desert with bare sand dunes. Botswana's third geographic region is the Okavango Swamp, located in the northwest. The swamp, formed from the waters of the Okavango River, is considered one of the world's great ecological treasures.

Much of Botswana has a subtropical climate. In summer (which lasts from October to March) temperatures rise to about 93° F (34° C) in the north and southwest. In winter (which lasts from April to September), there is frequent frost at night. Temperatures may fall to near freezing in some high-altitude areas during the day. Rainfall is light, ranging from about 27 inches (69 centimeters) a year in the north to less than 9 inches (23 centimeters) in the southwest. Droughts occur frequently.

Plants and animals

Much of Botswana consists of savanna grassland with yellow or light brown grass cover. Vegetation ranges from sparse grasses and shrubs in the southwest to trees in the north and east. True forests occur only on the banks of the Chobe River. Even the Kalahari contains enough vegetation to support herds of wild animals.

Botswana's wildlife is rich and varied. Lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, buffalo, antelopes, zebras, wildebeests, ostriches, and an array of snakes live in the Kalahari. Many varieties of scorpions, spiders, and insects also thrive. Hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species are found in the Okavango Delta. The country's animal life is protected in several national parks and game reserves.

People and culture

Botswana's largest ethnic group is the Tswana, a Bantu people. Scattered groups of Khoikhoi and San live in the Kalahari. They follow a nomadic, or wandering, way of life and hunt and gather their own food. A small group of Europeans also live in Botswana. Less than a third of the people live in cities; the rest are nomads or live in small towns and villages. The capital, Gaborone, is the largest city. The country's official language is English, but most people speak Setswana in daily life. More than half of the population follows traditional African religions. The rest of the people are Christians.

The Tswana have a rich tradition of folklore, music, and dancing. The northwestern part of the country, especially along the Okavango Delta, is famous for its elaborate reed baskets. Botswana has a large body of literature written in both English and Setswana.

Economy

Botswana's economy is based largely on mining. The country contains some of the largest diamond deposits in the world. It also has rich deposits of copper, nickel, and coal. Diamonds are by far the most valuable export. Cars and other vehicles are also produced and exported. Tourism is a major source of income.

Stock raising and farming, the traditional occupation of the Tswana, still employ most of the workers. Cattle, hides, meat, and other animal products are among the country's chief exports.

History

Botswana's earliest inhabitants were probably Khoikhoi and San peoples. Archaeologists believe that these peoples first arrived in the region in about 17,000 BC. Bantu-speaking farmers began migrating to the area in about AD 190. In the 18th century the Tswana people arrived and established several powerful states. They soon came to dominate the country that is now named for them.

In 1867 the discovery of gold excited European interest in the area. In 1885 the region came under the control of the British, who called it the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Throughout the colonial period, however, the British had little interest in the protectorate.

In 1966 Bechuanaland gained independence as the Republic of Botswana. The country's first president, Seretse Khama, promoted democracy and sought to build the economy. Khama angered the leaders of Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe) by giving shelter to black rebels. The Rhodesian army staged frequent raids on Botswana in the late 1970s. During the 1980s the leaders of South Africa sent troops into Botswana as well. Problems between the three countries eased following Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 and the end of apartheid in South Africa in the 1990s.

Stability in southern Africa allowed Botswana to focus on solving domestic problems. At the start of the 21st century these problems included a large gap between the rich and the poor, unemployment, and a high rate of HIV infection and AIDS. Population (2000 estimate), 1,576,000.