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,