| AREA |
581,730
sq km (224,606 sq miles). |
| POPULATION |
1,533,393 (1997). |
| POPULATION DENSITY |
2.6 per sq km. |
| CAPITAL |
Gaborone |
| CAPITAL
POPULATION |
110,973 (1998). |
| GEOGRAPHY |
Botswana is bordered
to the south and east by South Africa, to
the northeast by Zimbabwe, to the north
and west by Namibia and touches Zambia just
west of the Victoria Falls. The tableland
of the Kalahari Desert covers most of Botswana.
National parks cover 17% of the country.
To the northwest is the Okavango Basin,
where the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and the
Chobe National Park support abundant wildlife.
To the far southwest is the Kalahari Gemsbok
National Park. The majority of the population
lives in the southeast around Gaborone,
Serowe and Kanye along the South African
border. The vast arid sandveld of the Kalahari
occupies much of north, central and western
Botswana. The seasonal rains bring a considerable
difference to the vegetation, especially
in the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango
Basin in the north. The latter, after the
winter floods, provides one of the wildest
and most beautiful nature reserves in Africa. |
| GOVERNMENT |
Republic since 1966.
Head of State and Government: President
Festus Mogae since 1998. |
| LANGUAGE |
English is the official
language. Setswana is the national language. |
| RELIGION |
30% Christian. The
majority of the population holds animistic
beliefs. There are small Muslim communities.
The Bahá'í Faith is also represented. |
| STANDARD TIME |
GMT + 2. |
| ELECTRICITY |
220-240 volts AC, 50Hz.
15- and 13-amp plug sockets are in use. |
| COMMUNICATIONS |
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