← THE SECTION CUT · AFRICA

Botswana

22.0S 24.0E · 21 EVENTS · 9 DOMAINS
INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM · 30 SEPTEMBER 1966
▼ PULL DOWN TO EXTRACT THE CORE
1966 – present · Independence, Diamonds and Democracy
5 EVENTS
1965 · BDP wins the first general election 2 REFS
30 September 1966 · Independence of Botswana 3 REFS
1885 – 1965 · The Bechuanaland Protectorate
5 EVENTS
31 March 1885 · Bechuanaland Protectorate declared 2 REFS
1895 · The three kings' mission to Britain 4 REFS
1816 – 1885 · Missionaries, Boers and Mounting Pressure
4 EVENTS
1816 · London Missionary Society arrives 2 REFS
1875 · Khama III becomes kgosi of the Bangwato 2 REFS
c. 1700 – 1840 · The Tswana Nations and the Difaqane
4 EVENTS
mid-18th century · Rise of the Tswana merafe 2 REFS
early 19th century · The difaqane convulses the region 2 REFS
c. 70,000 BCE – c. 500 CE · Hunters, Herders and the Painted Hills
3 EVENTS
c. 24,000 BP · Rock art at Tsodilo Hills 3 REFS
c. 2,000 years ago · Herders and farmers arrive 2 REFS
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EVERY ERA, EVENT AND REFERENCE ON ONE PAGE
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Quick facts · atlas reference
Capital
Gaborone
Population
2.2 m
Area
582,000 km²
Region
Southern Africa
Languages
English, Tswana
Currency
Botswana pula (P)
Demonym
Motswana
UN member
Yes
Dossier · press a specimen — it turns over

Economy

GDP
$20 B’25 WB-WDI
GDP per capita
$7,778’25 WB-WDI
GDP growth
-0.7%’25 WB-WDI
Inflation
2.7%’25 WB-WDI
Trade openness
69.5%’25 WB-WDI

Society

Population
2.6 m’25 WB-WDI
Life expectancy
69.3 yrs’24 WB-WDI
Urban population
68.0%’25 WB-WDI
Fertility rate
2.7’24 WB-WDI
Literacy rate
81.2%’03 WB-WDI

Governance

Voice & accountability
62.0’24 WB-WGI
Political stability
83.5’24 WB-WGI
Government effectiveness
59.4’24 WB-WGI
Regulatory quality
61.2’24 WB-WGI
Rule of law
62.3’24 WB-WGI
Control of corruption
60.6’24 WB-WGI

Health

Health spending
6.3%’23 WB-WHO
Physicians
0.38’23 WB-WHO
Under-5 mortality
33.3’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Measles immunisation
97.0%’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Safe drinking water
63.3%’24 WB-WHO

Education

Adult literacy
81.2%’03 WB-UNESCO
Education spending
8.1%’20 WB-UNESCO
Primary enrolment
109.3%’22 WB-UNESCO
Secondary enrolment
70.6%’21 WB-UNESCO
Tertiary enrolment
21.4%’24 WB-UNESCO

Technology

R&D spending
0.6%’13 WB-UNESCO
Researchers (per million)
180’13 WB-UNESCO
Internet users
57.5%’24 WB-ITU
Mobile subscriptions
164’24 WB-ITU
High-tech exports
0.5%’23 WB-WDI

Geography

Land area
566,730 km²’23 WB-WDI
Forest area
26.3%’23 WB-WDI
Agricultural land
45.6%’23 WB-WDI
CO₂ per capita (t)
2.7’24 WB-WDI
Renewable energy
27.4%’21 WB-WDI

Resources

Resource rents
1.0%’21 WB-WDI
Oil rents
0.0%’21 WB-WDI
Mineral rents
0.2%’21 WB-WDI
Forest rents
0.3%’21 WB-WDI
Electricity access
80.2%’24 WB-WDI

Military

Military burden
2.8%’24 WB-SIPRI
Defense spending
$568 M’24 WB-SIPRI
Armed forces
9,000’20 WB-SIPRI

A hatched gap has no underside — there is nothing to turn over. Absence is stated, never zeroed.

The record · what changed here
EVERY CLAIM SOURCED
ABSENCE ≠ ZERO
NO SIDES