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| Botswana Bushmen or San community |
What is Botswana best known for; diamonds, beef cattle, tourism, and minerals are the cornerstones.
Botswana is one of Southern Africa's most attractive countries for mining, livestock, and travelers.
10 Interesting Facts Photos Information About Botswana
1. Botswana population is around 2 million
people.
2. Citizens of Botswana are known as Batswana.
3. While English is the official language and
Setswana the national language, there are over 20 other languages spoken in
Botswana.
4. In 1867 European gold prospectors arrive,
mining begins. In 1885, British proclaim a protectorate called Bechuanaland.
5. Botswana adopted its new name at independence
in 1966.
6. Sparsely populated, Botswana protects some of
Africa's largest areas of wilderness.
7. The Okavango swamps form the world's largest
inland delta.
8. In Botswana, Safari-based tourism is an important source of income.
9. Botswana is the world's largest producer of
diamonds.
10. In 2015 HIV infection rate fell to 22.2%; Botswana
no longer has the world's highest rate of infection for ages 15-49.
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Botswana's semiarid climate and its scarce water
resources remain prominent obstacles to its economic development. Botswana
is not agriculturally self-sufficient, Zimbabwe and South Africa are the major
commercial suppliers of food for the country.
Although Botswana has made important strides forward in developing its infrastructure, many of the areas of the country suitable for agricultural development are not at present served by paved roads.
Approximately 12 percent of Botswana's people are
employed in the formal sector. Other important employment sectors were commerce
about 15 percent of the jobs, services 10 percent, construction 10 percent,
manufacturing 9 percent, and mining 6 percent. Another 15 percent of the formal
sector workforce is employed in South African mines.
Beef is the largest agricultural product in Botswana’
beef and beef products constitute Botswana's second-largest export sector.
Botswana's beef exports have declined somewhat due to the drought and
consequent reduction of the national herd.
Over 50 percent of Botswana's beef
exports go to the European Economic Community. The Botswana Meat Commission
(BMC) is responsible for the slaughter and marketing of all beef exports from
Botswana.
Minerals are another driving force of Botswana's
economy and diamonds are by far its largest foreign currency earning export.
The country is one of the world's three largest producers of diamonds along
with South Africa and the Soviet Union.
The De Beers Group Debswana Diamond
Company was established in 1969 and the Government of the Republic of Botswana
and The De Beers Group of Companies own it in equal shares. It is one of the
world's leading diamond producers by value and volume. Debswana operates four
diamond mines in Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa and Jwaneng.
Jwaneng Mine, discovered in 1972 is the richest diamond mine in the world due to its higher dollar per carat obtained for its gems. Orapa is a conventional open-pit mine, situated 240 km west of Francistown. The Mine was discovered in 1967 by a team of De Beers geologists led by Manfred Marx. It became fully operational in July 1971.
Letlhakane Mine
in Central, Botswana was first discovered during the sampling and evaluation
process at Orapa became Debswana's second mine when it opened in 1975.Open-pit
operations at Letlhakane Mine ceased in 2017 becoming a plant for processing of
Kimberlite tailings also are known as mine waste until 2043.
Botswana undoubtedly possesses mineral resources which have not yet been
discovered. Various studies are being undertaken to determine the existence and
exploitability of possible petrochemical resources in the west of the country.
Platinum bearing formations currently being mined just over the border in South
Africa may extend into Botswana. Recent findings suggest that some geologic
structures in Botswana may contain extensive gold deposits. Mineral exploration
continues in many areas.
Although it was one of the world's poorest
countries at independence, Botswana has achieved rapid economic growth. With
over 60 Tourist Attractions, tourism is the leading earner for the Botswana
economy. Through financial leadership,
Botswana transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a
middle-income country by 2016.
One of the fastest-growing segments of Botswana's
economy, tourism has become the country's fourth-largest foreign exchange
earning sector. The development of the country's unique tourist areas The Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta, the Chobe game reserve could make tourism
one of the country's foremost growth sectors since Botswana has the largest elephant population on the African continent.
Botswana Tourist Attractions by Regions
Botswana Tourist Attractions in the Eastern and
Central Region
• Francistown • Selebi-Phikwe • Solomon's Wall •
Lepokole Hills • Tswapong Hills • Moremi Gorge • Motlhabaneng Rock Paintings •
Letsibogo Dam • Khama Rhino Sanctuary • Shoshong Hills • Khama III Memorial
Museum • Supa Ngwao Museum • Khama Royal
Residence and Cemetery • Mashatu Game Reserve
Botswana Tourist Attractions in the Kgalagadi
Region
• Ghanzi • Central Kalahari Game Reserve •
Deception Valley • Ghanzi Craft • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park • Khutse Game
Reserve • Kuru Museum and Cultural Centre
Botswana Tourist Attractions in the Makgadikgadi
and Nxai Pans Regions
• Nata • Ntwetwe Pan • Kubu Island • Nata Bird
Sanctuary • Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Park • Sowa Pan • Makgadikgadi
Pans National Park • Nxai Pan National Park • Baines Baobab
Botswana Tourist Attractions in the Chobe Region
• Kasane • Chobe National Park • Seboba Water
Rapids • Pandamatenga Farms • Lesoma Memorial Monument • Kasane Hot Springs •
Chobe River
Botswana Tourist Attractions in the Moremi and
Okavango Regions
• Maun • Tsodilo Hills • Moremi Game Reserve •
Gchwihaba (Drotsky's) Caves • Aha Hills • Nhabe Museum
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| Botswana flag and Coat of Arms |
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