The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 44.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 44.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 50.16 years male: 51.28 years female: 49.02 years (2008 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      2.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      37.3% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      350,000 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      33,000 (2003 est.)

      Major infectious diseases:

      degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)

      Nationality:

      noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

      Ethnic groups:

      Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including

       Kgalagadi and white 7%

      Religions:

      Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

      Languages:

      Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

      Literacy:

      definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.2% male: 80.4% female: 81.8% (2003 est.)

      School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

      total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)

      Education expenditures:

      8.7% of GDP (2007)

      Government

       Botswana

      Country name:

      conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland

      Government type:

      parliamentary republic

      Capital:

      name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

      Administrative divisions:

      9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

      Independence:

      30 September 1966 (from UK)

      National holiday:

      Independence Day (Botswana 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

      Suffrage:

      18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

      chief of state: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Mompati MERAFHE (since 1 April 2008) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%

      Legislative branch:

      bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

      Judicial branch:

      High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

      Political parties and leaders:

      Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];

       Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana

       Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front

       or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS

       Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF

       note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the

       BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the

       United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence

       Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union

       [D. K. KWELE]

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

      First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization); Pitso Ya Ba

       Tswana; Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga

       elites)

       other: diamond mining companies

      International organization participation:

      ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,

       IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,

       ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS,

       UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

      Diplomatic representation in the US:

      chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA chancery: 1531–1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244–4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244–4164

      Diplomatic representation from the US:

      chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen J. NOLAN embassy: Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 395–3982 FAX: [267] 395–6947

      Flag description:

      light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

      Economy

       Botswana

      Economy - overview:

      Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006–07.