Botswana 2006
In 2006, Botswana was a country of over 1.7 million people located in Southern Africa. It was a constitutional republic with a government led by President Festus Mogae, who had been elected in 1998. Despite its small size, Botswana had made remarkable progress in rebuilding its economy and infrastructure following the end of the war. According to constructmaterials, the country’s primary source of income was still based on agriculture, but industry and tourism were growing steadily due to increased foreign investment from neighboring countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. Poverty and inequality were still prevalent, with nearly 40% of the population living below the poverty line. Despite this, access to education had improved since 2000 with primary school attendance rate increasing from approximately 60% to over 70% by 2006. Additionally, economic growth had been steady since 2000 due to increased foreign investment from around the world. Tourism was also increasing as more people became aware of Botswana’s unique culture and landscapes including the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Yearbook 2006
Botswana. After applying free schooling for over twenty years, the country’s government reintroduced fees for upper secondary schools at the beginning of the year. The decision was justified by the need for savings due to reduced state income. The measure sparked protests and critics claimed it would lead parents to keep their children away from school. According to CountryAAH, major public holidays in Botswana include Independence Day (September 30) and New Year (January 1). The government, however, promised that the very poorest families would avoid paying taxes in the future.
In April, a much-debated restriction on alcohol sales was introduced. Beer sales were limited to five hours a day with a total ban on Sundays. The pubs and beer shops make up a large proportion of the private business sector in Botswana and the criticism of the new order was harsh. But President Festus Mogae emphasized that alcohol consumption must be restricted, as he believes it is behind the widespread spread of HIV and a variety of social problems. Critics, however, argued that the government’s decision would lead to a growing illegal market, which cannot be controlled by the authorities.
In December, a court ruled that hundreds of bushmen had been illegally driven away from their traditional settlements in the Kalahari desert. Thus, a multi-year dispute between the Bushmen and the Government of Botswana was decided, which decided not to appeal the court’s ruling.
| Land area | 581,730 km² |
| Total population | 2,317,233 |
| Population density (per km²） | 4 |
| Capital | Gaborone |
| Official language | English |
| Income per capita | $ 17,000 |
| Currency | Botswana pula |
| ISO 3166 code | BW |
| Internet TLD | .bw |
| License plate | RB |
| Telephone code | +267 |
| Time zone UTC | + 2 |
| Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 24 00 O |
Botswana Overview
Botswana is a landlocked state in southern Africa. Its neighbors are Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, Zimbabwe to the east, and South Africa to the south. Botswana is 1,100 km from north to south and 960 km from west to west. The Kalahari Desert covers nearly 85% of Botswana’s area, with the Okavango River Delta to the north and the Makarikari Salt Flats, the largest in the world, to the east. In the east, on the other hand, there is a plateau covered with omurambas. The main rivers are the Okavango and Limpopo.
- According to abbreviationfinder, BC is the abbreviation code for Botswana.
Botswana is one of the least populated countries in the world. Most of the country is covered by the so-called Kalahari. sand bath desert. In the periphery of this “desert” there are relatively good conditions for animal husbandry. Livestock farming and diamond mining have provided a solid foundation for the country’s economic development. Nature tourism and hunting are the third important factor. In support of a stable economy, Botswana has a functioning political democracy and good internal security. 17% of the area is protected as a game or nature reserve. The northern national parks maintain e.g. Africa’s largest elephant population. The central part of the Kalahari Game Reserve (52,000 km2) is the largest protected area in Africa. Navigating in this world of grass, shrubs, sand dunes and crystallized salt is cumbersome and demanding.
Area: 600 370 km²
Population: 2,317,233 (estimate 7/2020)
Capital: Gaborone
Population: Batswanoja (tswanoja) 79%, fish stocks 11%, basarwoja 3%, other 7%
Language: English (official), tswana (national language)
Religion: Christians 79.1%, bandimo 4.1%, others 1.7%, non-religious 15.2%
Form of government: Republic
