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Background:
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Formerly
the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four
decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership,
progressive social policies, and significant capital
investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally
diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though
tourism is a growing sector due to the country's
conservation practices and extensive nature preserves.
Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most
progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with
the disease. |
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Location:
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Southern
Africa, north of South Africa |
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Geographic coordinates:
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22 00 S,
24 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa
1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km
(landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none
(landlocked) |
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Climate:
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semiarid;
warm winters and hot summers |
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Terrain:
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predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
Desert in southwest |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m |
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Natural resources:
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diamonds,
copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
silver |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.34% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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10 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic
droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,
carrying sand and dust across the country, which can
obscure visibility |
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Environment - current issues:
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overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water
resources |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of
the country |
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Population:
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1,640,115
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 and death rates, lower population and
growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be
expected (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 38.8% (male 322,916/female 312,735)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 455,183/female 487,236)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,914/female
38,131) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
19.29 years
male: 18.64 years
female: 19.93 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0% (2005
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.33
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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29.36
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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6.07
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 53.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 33.87 years
male: 33.89 years
female: 33.84 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.85
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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37.3%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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350,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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33,000
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2004) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
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Ethnic groups:
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Tswana
(or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
including Kgalagadi and white 7% |
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Religions:
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Christian
71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none
20.6% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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Setswana
78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1%
(official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 82.4% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic |
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Capital:
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Gaborone
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Administrative divisions:
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9
districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng,
Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*,
Southeast, Southern |
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Independence:
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30
September 1966 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
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Constitution:
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March
1965, effective 30 September 1966 |
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Legal system:
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based on
Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April
1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13
July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE
(since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian
KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president indirectly elected for a
five-year term; election last held 20 October 2004 (next
to be held NA 2009); vice president appointed by the
president
election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely
advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the
eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and
three members selected by the other 12 members) and the
National Assembly (61 seats, 57 members are directly
elected by popular vote and four are appointed by the
majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held
30 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - BDP
52%, BNF 26%, BCP 17%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP
44, BNF 12, BCP 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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High
Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each
district) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Botswana
Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana
National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana
Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana
Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in
1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any
parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United
Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the
Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; and
the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB,
AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90,
Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 312782 |
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Flag description:
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light
blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the
center |
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Economy - overview:
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Botswana
has maintained one of the world's highest economic
growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal
discipline and sound management, Botswana has
transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in
the world to a middle-income country with a per capita
GDP of $10,100 in 2005. Two major investment services
rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond
mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently
accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80%
of export earnings. Tourism, financial services,
subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key
sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with
high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment
officially is 23.8%, but unofficial estimates place it
closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second
highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive
economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond
mining production overshadow long-term prospects. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$16.64
billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$9.594
billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.5%
(2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining)
services: 50.7% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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288,400
formal sector employees (2004) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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23.8%
(2004) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30.3% 47%
(2003) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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8.3%
(2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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23.6% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $3.766 billion
expenditures: $3.767 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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7.3% of
GDP (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
groundnuts |
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Industries:
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diamonds,
copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
processing; textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3.4%
(2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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891
million kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.641
billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.39
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2003) |
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Oil - consumption:
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12,000
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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16,000
bbl/day NA (2001) |
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Current account balance:
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$562
million (2005 est.) |
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Exports:
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$3.68
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Exports - partners:
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European
Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African
Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$3.37
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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Southern
African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%
(2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$6.12
billion (2005 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$556
million (2005 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$73
million (1995) |
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Currency (code):
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pula (BWP)
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Exchange rates:
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pulas per
US dollar - 5.16 (2005), 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003),
6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April -
31 March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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142,400
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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435,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: the system is expanding with the
growth of mobile cellular service and participation in
regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines,
microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone
communication stations; mobile cellular service is
growing fast
international: country code - 267; two
international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay
links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 8, FM
13, shortwave 4 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2001)
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Internet country code:
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.bw |
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Internet hosts:
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1,920
(2003) |
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Internet users:
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60,000
(2002) |
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Airports:
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85 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 55
under 914 m: 17 (2005 est.) |
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Railways:
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total:
888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2004) |
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Roadways:
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total:
25,233 km
paved: 8,867 km
unpaved: 16,366 km (2003) |
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Military branches:
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Botswana
Defense Force (includes an Air Wing) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 is the
apparent age of voluntary military service; the official
qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown
(2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 350,649 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 136,322 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
21,103 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$338.5
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.9%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve
small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip,
including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti
River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's
planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam
at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric
fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to
find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has
long supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections
to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge
over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing
their short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia
boundary |
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