Botswana

Botswana

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.

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