Portal:Botswana

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Coat of Arms of Botswana	Flag of Botswana

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Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70% of its territory being a part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its total area is 581,730 square kilometres (224,610 sq mi). Gaborone, in the South-East District, is the country's capital and largest city.

Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. While it is not enshrined by statutory law, Botswana is de facto the nation state of the Batswana people, who constitute nearly 80% of the population while legally undistinguished Kalanga people, who account for another 11%, are the single largest ethnic minority.

The Batswana ethnic group are descended mainly from Bantu-speaking peoples who migrated into southern Africa, including modern Botswana, in several waves before AD 600. In 1885, the British colonised the area and declared a protectorate named Bechuanaland. As part of the decolonisation of Africa, Bechuanaland became an independent Commonwealth republic under its current name on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has been a parliamentary republic with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections, though dominated by the Botswana Democratic Party until 2024, when the Umbrella for Democratic Change won the 2024 Botswana general election. (Full article...)

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Masa Square Central Business District

Botswana has a developing economy considered upper-middle income. Growth in private sector employment averaged about 10% per annum during the first 30 years of the country's independence. After a period of stagnation at the turn of the 21st century, Botswana's economy registered strong levels of growth, with GDP growth exceeding 6–7% targets. Economic growth since the late 1960s has been on par with some of Asia's largest economies. The government has consistently maintained budget surpluses and has extensive foreign-exchange reserves.

Botswana's relative economic growth compared to some of its neighbors has been built on a foundation of diamond mining, prudent fiscal policies, and a cautious foreign policy. Botswana's economy is mostly dependent on diamond mining. Diamond mining contributes to 50% of the government revenue mainly through its 50:50 joint venture with De Beers in the Debswana Diamond Company. Lab-grown diamonds has led to a significant decrease in worldwide demand for mined diamonds beginning in the early 2020s. The resulting reduction in the value of diamond exports prompted the IMF to forecast Botswana to run a fiscal deficit of 11%, and the Botswana ministry of finance to forecast negative GDP growth for the country in 2025. As of 2020, Botswana is rated as the third least corrupt country in Africa in the Corruption Perceptions Index by international corruption watchdog Transparency International. It has the fourth highest gross national income per capita in purchasing power in Africa and above the world average. (Full article...)

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... that the extinct ant Afromyrma petrosa was found over a diamond mine?

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Male
in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The impala or rooibok (Aepyceros melampus, lit. 'black-footed high-horn' in Ancient Greek) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus Aepyceros, and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to Europeans by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the grassland-dwelling common impala (sometimes referred to as the Kenyan impala), and the larger and darker black-faced impala, which lives in slightly more arid, scrubland environments. The impala reaches 70–92 cm (28–36 in) at the shoulder and weighs 40–65 kg (88–143 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 cm (18–36 in) long.

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts females in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Botswana-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Ostriches at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 2Batswana men dressed in traditional attire during the visit of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to Lobatse, Bechuanaland, on 17 April 1947 (from Tswana people)
Image 3The Jwaneng diamond mine is the second biggest in the world today. (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 4Rail network map of Botswana (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 5South African billionaire mining businessman, CAF President (from Tswana people)
Image 6Quett Masire visiting the United States in 1984 (from History of Botswana)
Image 7Gaborone aerial (from Gaborone)
Image 8South African politician (from Tswana people)
Image 9Watch house in Gaborone Game Reserve (from Gaborone)
Image 10Old Palapye Church built by King Khama III in 1891 (from Tswana people)
Image 11Orapa House (from Gaborone)
Image 12CBD Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 13Kgosi Sekgoma II and leaders of the Bangwato Military regiments in Serowe during the royal visit of the Prince of Wales in June 1925. (from Tswana people)
Image 14Gaborone Hindu temple (from Gaborone)
Image 15Botswana traditional baskets (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 16Young Tswana maiden dressed in Leteisi (from Tswana people)
Image 17Prehistoric cave paintings at Tsodilo (from History of Botswana)
Image 18Ministry of Health building (from Gaborone)
Image 19Satellite view of Gaborone. North is to the left of the image. (from Gaborone)
Image 20Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 21Christ The King Cathedral (from Gaborone)
Image 22Tourist resort at Kasane (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 23 Tswana tribesmen, first Africans to compete at the Olympics (from Tswana people)
Image 24Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 25A 1960 stamp of the Bechuanaland Protectorate featuring images of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II, the first and last British monarchs of the protectorate (from History of Botswana)
Image 26Ian Khama meeting with William Hague in London (from History of Botswana)
Image 27Francistown City Bus and Taxi Rank (from Francistown)
Image 28St. Joseph's College students (from Gaborone)
Image 29Depiction of a Precolonial Homestead in the ancient City of Kaditshwene circa early 1400
Image 30Room 52 Roof Top Restaurant (from Gaborone)
Image 31Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) (from Gaborone)
Image 32Botswana Gaborone I Towers (from Gaborone)
Image 33Street scene near the Main Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 34Gaborone Hindu Temple (from Gaborone)
Image 3518th Century Tswana Warrior (from Tswana people)
Image 36Francistown Bus Terminal (from Francistown)
Image 37Duma Boko signing an agreement with the United States in 2025 (from History of Botswana)
Image 38King Molema of Barolong (from Tswana people)
Image 39Gaborone Mosque (from Gaborone)
Image 40The National Assembly of Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 41Flag of Bophuthatswana (from Tswana people)
Image 42An illustration of a Tswana man and his wife in the early 1800s (from History of Botswana)
Image 43Typical Kgotla setting (from Tswana people)
Image 44A postage stamp circa 1943, the postmark reading "Gaborone's Village" (from Gaborone)
Image 45SSKI Airport (from Gaborone)
Image 46King Khama (III) of Bamangwato (from Tswana people)
Image 47Mokgweetsi Masisi speaking at a conference on the illegal wildlife trade in London in 2018 (from History of Botswana)
Image 48Aerial view over Okavango Delta (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 49Tswana Baskets used for storing grain (from Tswana people)
Image 50King Bathoen II 1947 of Bangwaketse (from Tswana people)