Portal:Botswana

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Coat of Arms of Botswana	Flag of Botswana

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P:BWA

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Being a country of slightly over 2.4 million people, and roughly the size of France, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It is essentially the nation state of the Tswana people, who make up 79% of the population.

The Tswana ethnic group were descended mainly from Bantu-speaking tribes who migrated southward of Africa to modern Botswana around AD 600, living in tribal enclaves as farmers and herders. In 1885, the British colonised the area and declared a protectorate under the name of Bechuanaland. As decolonisation occurred, Bechuanaland became an independent Commonwealth republic under its current name on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has been a parliamentary republic, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections, though as of 2024 the Botswana Democratic Party has been the ruling party since independence. As of 2024, Botswana is the third least corrupt country in the continent of Africa.

The economy is dominated by mining and tourism. Botswana has a GDP (purchasing power parity) per capita of about $20,158 . Botswana is the world's biggest diamond producing country. Its relatively high gross national income per capita (by some estimates the fourth-largest in Africa) gives the country a relatively high standard of living and the second-highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa (after South Africa). Botswana is a member of the Southern African Customs Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations. (Full article...)

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Houses in Gweta

Gweta is a small village in Botswana. It lies about 205 kilometres (127 mi) away from Maun and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Nata. (Full article...)

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... that the Three Dikgosi Monument is the most visited tourist destination in Gaborone, Botswana?

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This is a good article, A-class article, featured list, or featured article, one of Wikipedia’s best work.

A mob of meerkats in Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body length is around 24–35 cm (9.4–13.8 in), and the weight is typically between 0.62 and 0.97 kg (1.4 and 2.1 lb). The coat is light grey to yellowish-brown with alternate, poorly-defined light and dark bands on the back. Meerkats have foreclaws adapted for digging and have the ability to thermoregulate to survive in their harsh, dry habitat. Three subspecies are recognised.

Meerkats are highly social, and form packs of two to 30 individuals each that occupy home ranges around 5 km² (1.9 sq mi) in area. There is a social hierarchy—generally dominant individuals in a pack breed and produce offspring, and the nonbreeding, subordinate members provide altruistic care to the pups. Breeding occurs around the year, with peaks during heavy rainfall; after a gestation of 60 to 70 days, a litter of three to seven pups is born. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Botswana-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Madila sour cultured milk (from Tswana people)
Image 2Street scene near the Main Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 3I-Tower at Central Business District (from Gaborone)
Image 4Homestead in the ancient City of Kaditshwene
Image 5A road in Gaborone (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 6Rail network map of Botswana (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 7Francistown Stadium (from Francistown)
Image 8Aerial view over Okavango Delta (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 9A postage stamp circa 1943, the postmark reading "Gaborone's Village" (from Gaborone)
Image 10Francistown Bus Terminal (from Francistown)
Image 11Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 12Botswana Gaborone I Towers (from Gaborone)
Image 13Botswana Traditional Baskets (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 14Flag map of Gaborone (from Gaborone)
Image 15New CBD (from Gaborone)
Image 16BR Express, the passenger train (from Francistown)
Image 17Tourist resort at Kasane (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 18CBD Mall (from Gaborone)
Image 19Satellite View of Gaborone. North is to the left of the image. (from Gaborone)
Image 20Gaborone aerial (from Gaborone)
Image 21St. Joseph's College students (from Gaborone)
Image 22GDP per capita (current), compared to neighbouring countries (world average = 100) (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 23Rev. Derek Jones, the first mayor of Gaborone
Image 24Road map of Gaborone (from Gaborone)
Image 25Room 52 Roof Top Restaurant (from Gaborone)
Image 26Christ The King Cathedral (from Gaborone)
Image 27Rhodesia Railways car at the national museum (from Gaborone)
Image 28Gaborone Mosque (from Gaborone)
Image 29The National Assembly of Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 30New Construction Developments (from Gaborone)
Image 31Gaborone Dam (from Gaborone)
Image 32Graduation daggers that were given to Tswana Fighting Regiments (from Tswana people)
Image 33The Jwaneng diamond mine is the second biggest in the world today. (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 34Francistown City Bus and Taxi Rank (from Francistown)
Image 35Botswana Traditional House at the National Museum (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 36Batswana Men dressed in traditional attire in 1946 (from Tswana people)
Image 37Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) (from Gaborone)
Image 38CBD Developments (from Gaborone)
Image 39Watch house in Gaborone Game Reserve (from Gaborone)
Image 40Magadi (traditional wedding) (from Culture of Botswana)
Image 41Gaborone Hindu temple (from Gaborone)
Image 42Kombi (Minibus taxi) (from Gaborone)
Image 43Ostriches at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana (from Gaborone)
Image 44SSKI Airport (from Gaborone)
Image 45Orapa House (from Gaborone)
Image 46View from Kgale Hill (Oodi Hill on horizon) (from Gaborone)
Image 47Gaborone Hindu Temple (from Gaborone)
Image 48I-Towers, Gaborone Central Business District (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 49An 1865 portrait of Kgosi Sechele I in Ntsweng Bechuanaland (from Tswana people)
Image 50Man on donkey herding goats in a dry river bed (from Economy of Botswana)
Image 51Tswana Baskets (from Tswana people)