Official Name: Republic of Botswana

Geography
 
Capital: Gaborone
Major Towns: Kanye, Maun, Francistown, Tshabong
Location (geographical coordinates/latitude and longitude): 24°40'S, 25°55'E
Time Zone: CAT (UTC+2)
Size: 600,370 sq km
Borders with: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m; Highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
 
Politics  
Head of State: President Festus Mogae
Form of Government: Parliamentary Republic
Independancy (from UK): 30 September 1966 
Currency: Pula (BWP)

Industry  
Main industries Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles. Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver.
Agriculture: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Population and People  
Population: 1,639,131 (2007 est.)
Density per sq mi: 7
Growth rate: 0.0%
Birth rate: 22.9 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 53.0/1000
Religion: 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)
Ethnic groups / Tribes: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7%
Average age: 0-14 years: 35.8% (male 330,377/female 319,376); 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 549,879/female 545,148); 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 28,725/female 42,003) (2007 est.)
Life expectancy: 33.7
Literacy (definition: age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 81.2%; Male: 80.4%; Ffemale: 81.8% (2003 est.)

• Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world
• Amazing wildlife, including antelopes, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, leopards, lions and many more
• San People/Bushmen
• Kalahari Desert covers up to 70% of the land surface
• 15,000 km² of water
• Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
• National parks and game reserves
• Botswana was the location for the 1980 movie The Gods Must Be Crazy
• Handicrafts, including pottery, woven baskets and woodwork
• 17% of the country is designated national park (40% if private parks are included)
• Great fishing in the delta and other rivers
• Historical village of Serowe
• Brilliant bird-watching
• Tsodilo Hills with ancient rock paintings from more than 100,000 years ago