Where is Botswana located?

What countries border Botswana?

Botswana Weather

What is the current weather in Botswana?


Botswana Facts and Culture

What is Botswana famous for?

  • Cultural Attributes: Individuals are expected to contribute to society rather than have the government support them. Cleanliness and neatness are important... More
  • Family: With high unemployment few men work in South Africa, and a continuous search for employment keeps families separate. For instance,... More
  • Personal Apperance: Western dress is common. Despite the heat, urban men wear business suits with ties and women wear dresses or blouses.... More
  • Recreation: One of the most popular traditional games is called stalking, which is ideally meant to teach children how to be... More
  • Diet: A popular relish is made of onions, chicken stock, and tomato sauce. Goats and chickens are raised for meat. Cattle... More
  • Visiting: Unannounced visitors are welcome especially if the visitor is a relative. Guests are offered water or a drink at first,... More
  • Dating: Living away from home villages (for work or schooling) has dramatically changed the way young people interact. It was once... More

Botswana Facts

What is the capital of Botswana?

Capital Gaborone
Government Type parliamentary republic
Currency Pula (BWP)
Total Area 224,606 Square Miles
581,730 Square Kilometers
Location Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Language English (official), Setswana
GDP - real growth rate 3.1%
GDP - per capita (PPP) $16,900.00 (USD)

Botswana Demographics

What is the population of Botswana?

Ethnic Groups Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other (including Kgalagadi and white) 7%
Languages English is the official language while Setswana is considered the national language. Tjikalanga is commonly spoken in northeastern Botswana.
Nationality Adjective Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Nationality Noun Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Population 2,317,233
Population - note Note: Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of the population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Population Growth Rate 1.35%
Population in Major Urban Areas GABORONE (capital) 202,000
Predominant Language English (official), Setswana
Urban Population 61.7%

Botswana Government

What type of government does Botswana have?

  • Executive Branch: chief of state: President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018);... More
  • Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal More
  • Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana dual citizenship recognized: no residency... More
  • National Holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) More
  • Constitution: history: previous 1960 (pre-independence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval... More
  • Independence: 30 September 1966 (from the UK) More

Botswana Video

YouTube: Expoza Travel Botswana Guide

CountryReports YouTube Channel:

Join CountryReports YouTube Channel (Click Here)

Botswana Geography

What environmental issues does Botswana have?

Botswana Economy

How big is the Botswana economy?

Botswana News and Current Events

What current events are happening in Botswana?
Source: Google News

Botswana Travel Information

What makes Botswana a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Botswana, a country in southern Africa roughly the size of Texas with a population of approximately 2 million, has a stable democratic, parliamentary government, and a stable economy. Diamond and mineral mining are key components of the economy, while facilities for tourism are also widely available.

Crime

Crime is a serious concern in Botswana. Visitors must be vigilant and take common-sense security precautions. Petty street crimes and crimes of opportunity, primarily the theft of money and personal property, are not uncommon. Home invasions, “smash and grabs” from vehicles, and cell phone thefts, often at knifepoint, are routinely reported to the police. Hotels and lodges are not immune from criminal activity, and visitors should remain alert and take reasonable precautions in safeguarding personal property (particularly money and electronic equipment). Visitors are urged to exercise extreme caution near the Gaborone Dam and Kgale Hill in Gaborone due to the high number of reported criminal incidents.

Travelers arriving in Botswana via South Africa should be aware that there is a serious continuing baggage pilferage problem at OR Tambo (Johannesburg) and Cape Town International Airports. Travelers are encouraged to use an airport plastic wrapping service and to avoid placing electronics, jewelry, cameras, designer athletic gear, or other valuables in checked luggage. Also, make an inventory of items in checked baggage to aid in claims processing if theft does occur.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Botswana, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Botswana’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in Botswana are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Motorists should note that it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving; failure to comply could result in fines and/or confiscation of the cell phone. If you break local laws in Botswana, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Botswana, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. embassy of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the U.S. embassy.

Languages

English is the official language while Setswana is considered the national language. Tjikalanga is commonly spoken in northeastern Botswana.

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Private medical facilities in Gaborone are adequate for simple medical problems, but facilities outside of Gaborone are severely limited. Adequately equipped emergency rooms and trained physicians are available in the capital but services are rudimentary elsewhere. Professional private emergency rescue services operate air and ground ambulances throughout the country, but care is rendered only after a patient’s ability to pay is established. Response times are often slow in less populated areas. Outside of Gaborone, most airports are either not equipped or may have malfunctioning night lighting capability, so airborne medical evacuations can often only be conducted during daylight hours. Malaria is prevalent only in the north of the country, particularly around the Chobe and Okavango National Parks. Malaria prophylaxis is not required in Gaborone but is suggested for travel to the north. For advanced care, U.S. citizens often choose to travel to South Africa. Many South African manufactured prescription drugs are available in Gaborone.

In many areas of Botswana (including Gaborone), tap water can be unsafe and should be avoided or boiled for at least one minute before drinking. Bottled water and beverages are believed to be safe. However, visitors should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Ice may also come from tap water and should be avoided.

Approximately one-quarter of the population of Botswana is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Travelers are advised to exercise appropriate precautions if engaging in sexual activity or if exposed to blood products through injuries or rendering assistance to accident victims. Tuberculosis is also endemic to Botswana. Several hundred cases of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) have been identified in Botswana since January 2008 when Botswana first obtained the ability to test for this form of TB. Individuals who plan to reside or stay in Botswana for extended periods are advised to obtain a tuberculosis skin test (PPD test) prior to arrival and again upon departure from Botswana. There are occasional diarrhea outbreaks in areas affected by heavy rains. Travelers in those regions are encouraged to take necessary precautions when handling food and drinking water.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in Botswana, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Botswana is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving in Botswana is challenging and motorists must drive defensively. As elsewhere in the region, traffic circulates on the left in Botswana. While the roads in major population centers are generally good, rural roads can be in poor condition and treacherous. Rolling power outages mean that many traffic lights and street lamps do not work properly. The combination of long, tedious stretches of two-lane highways without shoulders, high-speed limits, intoxicated drivers, free-range domestic animals (even in urban centers), and large numbers of pedestrians and hitchhikers in the roadways make fatal accidents a frequent occurrence. Outside of Gaborone, it is also common to find large numbers of animals along or on the unlit roads, which can be particularly hazardous when driving at night. The Embassy prohibits government employees from driving outside of Gaborone after dark.

‘Smash and grab’ robberies from vehicles are increasingly common in Botswana, particularly in urban areas at traffic lights. Motorists should avoid carrying anything of value (handbags, briefcases, purses, cell phones, etc.) in the passenger compartment that could attract potential assailants.

All Countries
Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe