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 The
Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country located
in the Southern region of Africa. It occupies an area of 600,370
sq km and has a population of 1,464,167
(1999); 1,573,267 (2003 est.) - concentrated in eastern part
of the country - with a growth rate of 1.05% (1999);
-0.55% (2003 est.).
Its
bordering neighbors are:
The Republic of South Africa at the South over 1,840 km; the Republic of Namibia
at the West over 1,360 km; the Republic of Zimbabwe at the East over 813 km.
There is a quadripoint-border - at the north-East -
with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe which is in disagreement item amongst the mentioned
countries and Botswana.
The
climate - semiarid;
warm winters and hot summers - is heavily influenced by the Kalahari Desert in
the Western region which provokes periodic droughts and seasonal August winds
- full of sand and dust - across the country, which can obscure visibility.
Independence
from the United Kingdom: September 30, 1966
National holiday:
September 30
Substantial mineral
deposits were found
in the 1970's and the mining sector grew from 25% of GDP in 1980 to 35% in 1997:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver.
Agriculture
is hampered by the scarcity
of arable land - 1% of the total area of the country - by poor soils; erratic
rainfall and limited fresh water resources . However 80% of the population is
involved in subsistence agricultural activities and cattle razing; but supplies
only about 50% of food needs and accounts for only 4% of GDP.
Agriculture production:sorghum, maize, millet,
pulses, groundnut (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock.
There are
business opportunities in food industry in general and meat industry in particular;
and in the tourism sector development - 900,000
visitors per year.
Botswana experienced over years one of the world's
highest growth rates since independence in 1966.
Through fiscal
discipline and sound management, Botswana transformed itself from one of the poorest
countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GNP of US
3,166 in 2002. However, that is an average as 46% of the population live under
pocerty line.
Diamond mining has fueled much of Botswana's economic
expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for three-fourths
of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other
key sectors.
As for its neighboring countries which economies are
dominated by the mining industry' sector, wealth distribution amongst the global
population is not equal; purchasing power parity above given doesn't reflect the
true standard of living of the majority of the population. There is a high rate
of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 19%.
HIV /
AIDS infection, which has a very high rate of penetration (40%), may become, in
the near future, a serious hindrance to Botswana's impressive economic gains if
a solution is not quickly found to stop and eradicate the devastating disease.
The growth rate of the population is now negative (- 0.55%) down from 1.05% (end
of the 1990's).
Click
here for an Article by Liz MacGregor dated July 8, 2002, The Guardian: Botswana
battles against 'extinction'
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GNP:
US$ 3.466 billion (2000); 4.133billion (2001); 5.01 billion (2002 est.)
GNP-growth rate:
6% (2000); 4.7% (2001); 6% (2002 est.)
GNP-per
capita: US$ 2,200 (2000);
2,600 (2001); 3,166 (2002 est.))
Click
here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power
GNP-composition
by sector
-
agriculture:
4%
- industry:
44%
- services:
52% (2002 est.)
Exports:
US$ 2.6 billion (f.o.b.,2000);
2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities:
diamonds 76%, copper,
nickel 4%, meat.
Imports:
US$ 2.2 billion (f.o.b.,
2000); 1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities:
foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products.
Mining activities account
for 36% (2002) of the industry output from 25% of GNP in 1980
FOR CURRENCY
EQUIVALENCE CLICK
HERE
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- THE REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA - BRIEFS
