99-664: The North-South Carrier (NSC) is a pipeline in Botswana that carries raw water south for a distance of 360 kilometres (220 mi) to the capital city of Gaborone . Phase 1 was completed in 2000. Phase 2 of the NSC, under construction, will duplicate the pipeline to carry water from the Dikgatlhong Dam , which was completed in 2012. A proposed extension to deliver water from the Zambezi would add another 500 to 520 kilometres (310 to 320 mi) to
198-414: A 'grey zone' between electoral democracy and electoral autocracy . Furthermore, they show that Botswana lost its status as a "liberal democracy" in 2021, with its liberal, participatory and deliberative components decreasing "at a statistically significant level", with the latter component being noted as becoming "significantly worse". The 2023 Transparency International Corruption Index ranks Botswana
297-508: A GDP per capita of about US$ 70 per year in the late 1960s —Botswana has transformed itself into an upper middle-income country. GDP per capita grew from $ 439 in 1950 to $ 15,842 in 2018. Although Botswana was resource-abundant, a good institutional framework allowed the country to reinvest resource-income to generate stable future income. By one estimate, it has the fourth-highest gross national income at purchasing power parity in Africa, giving it
396-697: A consensus estimate. In that era, the ancestors of the modern-day Kalanga moved into what is now the north-eastern area of the country. These proto-Kalanga were closely connected to states in Zimbabwe as well as to the Mapungubwe state. One notable remanant of this period is Domboshaba ruins, a cultural and heritage site in Botswana initially occupied towards the end of the Great Zimbabwe period (1250–1450), with stone walls that have an average height of 1.8 metres. The site
495-589: A democratic self-government in Botswana. An independence conference was held in London in February 1966. The seat of government was moved in 1965 from Mahikeng in South Africa, to the newly established Gaborone , located near Botswana's border with South Africa. Based on the 1965 constitution, the country held its first general elections under universal suffrage and gained independence on 30 September 1966. Seretse Khama ,
594-415: A half years of current imports. The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the government respects this in practice. The legal system is sufficient to conduct secure commercial dealings, although a growing backlog of cases prevents timely trials. Botswana is ranked second only to South Africa among sub-Saharan African countries in the 2014 International Property Rights Index. In Botswana,
693-459: A leader in the independence movement, was elected as the first president, and subsequently re-elected twice. Khama died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice-president, Quett Masire , who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in 1998. He was succeeded by Festus Mogae , who was elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2004. The presidency passed in 2008 to Ian Khama (son of
792-562: A leader named Kgabo II, made their way into the southern Kalahari by AD 1500, at the latest, and his people drove the Bakgalagadi inhabitants west into the desert. Over the years, several offshoots of the Bakwena moved into adjoining territories. The Bangwaketse occupied areas to the west, while the Bangwato moved northeast into former Kalanga areas. Not long afterwards, a Bangwato offshoot known as
891-464: A more cost-effective approach with lower impact on the environment. The 1996 SADC agreement in power pooling may be seen as a model for this alternative approach. Botswana's diamond reserves will not last forever, and international demand and prices are unpredictable. Botswana must diversify the economy to make other businesses more profitable and to become more competitive in the regional economic zone. The estimated US$ 120 million spent on Phase 1 of
990-413: A pipeline about 360 kilometres (220 mi) to carry the raw water south to a treatment plant and master balancing reservoir at Mmamashia , about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of Gaborone. An early version of the plan used the existing Bokaa Dam as the reservoir, but it was decided to instead build a covered reservoir closer to Gaborone to minimise loss of water through evaporation. A second dam,
1089-484: A project to reintroduce indigenous vegetation into communities in Kgalagadi South, Kweneng North and Boteti. Reintroduction of indigenous vegetation will help reduce the degradation of the land. The United States Government has also entered into an agreement with Botswana, giving them US$ 7 million to reduce Botswana's debt by US$ 8.3 million. The US stipulated that Botswana will focus on more extensive conservation of
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#17330854388821188-486: A protectorate named Bechuanaland . As part of the decolonisation of Africa , 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 , although the Botswana Democratic Party was the only ruling party from independence until 2024. As of 2024 , Botswana
1287-437: A relatively high standard of living in Africa, around that of Mexico. As of 2022, the unemployment rate stood at 25.4%, while youth unemployment reached 45.41% in 2023. The latest available data from 2015/2016 estimate that 17.2% of Botswana’s population is multidimensionally poor , with an additional 19.7% at risk. The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Botswana is responsible for promoting business development throughout
1386-507: A second pouring into the surrounding land to form a deep crater. Water supplies in the region were cut off until repairs could be made. In the original plans, NSC-2 would deliver 45,000,000 cubic metres (1.6×10 cu ft) annually at a cost of P5.5 billion. Construction of the Dikgatlhong Dam on the lower Shashe River began in March 2008 and was completed slightly ahead of schedule in December 2011. This
1485-503: A troubled world economy, the Botswana government decided that between 2010 and 2016 they would focus on completing the NSC-2.1 section and upgrading NSC-1. Construction of NSC-2.2 from Moralane up to Palapye would be deferred to the 2017–2022 budget period. NSC-2.1 delivers water from a new storage reservoir at Palapye to a new reservoir at Mmamashia via two new pumping stations. The NSC-1 upgrades would include introducing variable-speed drives at
1584-505: A vital role in the longevity of Toutswemogala Hill's extended occupation, as many grain storage structures have also been found on the site. Many different stratified layers of housing floors further signal continuous occupation over hundreds of years. The arrival of the Tswana speakers' ancestors who came to control the region has yet to be dated precisely. Members of the Bakwena , a chieftaincy under
1683-411: Is a legal penalty for murder in Botswana, and executions are carried out by hanging. Many of the indigenous San people have been forcibly relocated from their land to reservations. To make them relocate, they were denied access to water on their land and faced arrest if they hunted, which was their primary source of food. Their lands lie in the middle of the world's richest diamond field. Officially,
1782-512: Is a respected place for the people living in the region, and it is believed that the chief lived on the top of the hill with his helpers or assistants. These states, located outside of current Botswana's borders, appear to have kept massive herds of cattle—apparently at numbers approaching modern cattle density—in what is now the Central District. This massive cattle-raising complex prospered until around 1300 and seems to have regressed following
1881-609: Is a zoned earthfill structure, 41 metres (135 ft) high and 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) long, with potential storage capacity of 400,000,000 cubic metres (1.4×10 cu ft), almost three times that of the Gaborone Dam . The dam will start impounding the Shashe River during the 2012–2013 rainy season. The first portion of the NSC-2 pipeline, NSC-2A, will connect the Dikgatlhong Dam to the NSC 1 Break Pressure Tank 1 at Moralane. With
1980-403: Is about 2,000 millimetres (79 in) annually. Botswana has a flat terrain that is mostly unsuitable for reservoirs. In 2008 Botswana had a population of 1,921,000. GDP per capita on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis was $ 13,415. 83% of the people were literate. The percentage of people with access to safe drinking water rose from 77% to 96% between 1996 and 2006. The economy of Botswana
2079-600: Is growing fast, as is the population, particularly in the Gaborone area. This is causing growth in per-capita demand for water, and rapid growth in total demand. The Gaborone region accounts for over 75% of water demand in eastern Botswana. The local Gaborone and Bokaa dams cannot meet the growing demand even with the help of reclamation from the Gaborone Water Treatment Works at Glen Valley. Morupule Colliery uses three boreholes for water, but takes water from
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#17330854388822178-579: Is not being renewed from the surface. The more populous eastern portion of Botswana lies in the Limpopo River basin, which is considered "closed". In the South African portion of the basin, water usage exceeds the potential water yield from the basin by 800,000,000 cubic metres (650,000 acre-feet) annually. Water has to be imported from the Vaal River to make up the shortfall. Almost all rainfall occurs in
2277-502: Is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It is essentially the nation-state of the Tswana people , who constitute nearly 80 per cent of the population. The Tswana ethnic group are descended mainly from Bantu-speaking peoples who migrated into southern Africa , including modern Botswana, in several waves before AD 600. In 1885, the British colonised the area and declared
2376-564: Is predominantly flat, tending towards gently rolling tableland . Botswana is dominated by the Kalahari Desert , which covers up to 70% of its land surface. The Limpopo River Basin, the major landform of all of southern Africa, lies partly in Botswana, with the basins of its tributaries, the Notwane , Bonwapitse , Mahalapye , Lotsane , Motloutse and the Shashe , located in the eastern part of
2475-779: Is the site of the Mmamashia water treatment plant and master balancing reservoir. The reservoir and plant are operated and maintained by the Water Utilities Corporation . The original source of supply was the Bokaa Dam , directly to the north. Implementation of the North-South Carrier water project in 2000 brought raw water to the plant from the Letsibogo Dam on the Motloutse River , much further north. After treatment
2574-481: Is the third-least corrupt country in Africa, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International . The economy is dominated by mining and tourism . Botswana has a per capita GDP ( purchasing power parity ) of about $ 20,158 as of 2024 . Botswana is the world's biggest diamond-producing country. Its relatively high gross national income per capita (by some estimates
2673-690: Is the third-least corrupt country in Africa, just below Cabo Verde and the Seychelles . Botswana is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations . At the time of independence, Botswana had no armed forces. It was only after the Rhodesian and South African armies attacked the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe bases respectively that the Botswana Defence Force (BDF)
2772-408: Is to draw from "indigenous knowledge and traditional land management systems". The leaders of this movement are supposed to be the people in the community to draw indigenous people in, which in turn increases their opportunities to earn an income, thus decreasing poverty. The UNDP also stated that the government has to effectively implement policies to allow people to manage their own local resources and
2871-558: The Battle of Dimawe and, after about eight years of intermittent tensions and hostilities, eventually came to a peace agreement in Potchefstroom in 1860. From that point on, the modern-day border between South Africa and Botswana was agreed on, and the Afrikaners and Batswana traded and worked together comparatively peacefully. In 1884, Batawana, a northern-based Tswana clan's cavalry under
2970-480: The Chobe District has the world's largest concentration of African elephants . The park covers about 11,000 km (4,247 sq mi) and supports about 350 species of birds. In Botswana forest cover is around 27% of the total land area, equivalent to 15,254,700 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 18,803,700 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 15,254,700 hectares, of
3069-602: The Dikgatlhong Dam , would be built on the Sashe River in Phase 2. A second pipeline running parallel to the first would carry the water to the same treatment plant and reservoir near Gaborone. The Phase 1 pipeline transported water from the Letsibogo Dam along the eastern road and rail corridor to Gaborone. The pipeline plan included four pumping stations and a water treatment plant at the terminus just north of Gaborone. The pipeline
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3168-931: The German Empire and Britain coveted the territory of Botswana. During the Berlin Conference , Britain decided to annex Botswana to safeguard the Road to the North and thus connect the Cape Colony to its territories further north. It unilaterally annexed Tswana territories in January 1885 and then sent the Warren Expedition north to consolidate control over the area and convince the chiefs to accept British overrule. Despite their misgivings, they eventually acquiesced to this fait accompli . In 1890, areas north of 22 degrees were added to
3267-480: The Kgabo Commission in 1991, factionalism and political rivalries have dominated Botswana politics. The Barata-Phathi faction was led by Peter Mmusi , Daniel Kwelagobe and Ponatshego Kedikilwe , while the A Team faction was led by Mompati Merafhe and Jacob Nkate. When Festus Mogae and Ian Khama became president and vice-president, respectively, they aligned with the A Team. Khama effectively expelled
3366-548: The Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country in Southern Africa . Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 per cent of its territory part of 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. With a population of slightly over 2.4 million people and a comparable land area to France , Botswana
3465-581: The Umbrella for Democratic Change has operated as a coalition of opposition parties. The most recent election was held in 2024 , with the Botswana Democratic Party losing its majority for the first time in history, ending its 58 year rule over the country. The election saw Duma Boko being elected as president. In Botswana's early years, its politics were managed by President Seretse Khama and vice-president (later president) Quett Masire . Since
3564-584: The United Nations . The country's name means "Land of the Tswana ", referring to the dominant ethnic group in Botswana . The Constitution of Botswana recognizes a homogeneous Tswana state. The demonym Batswana was originally applied to the Tswana, and has also come to be used generally as a term for all citizens of Botswana. It is estimated that hominids lived in Botswana during the Pleistocene . Stone tools and animal remains indicate that all areas of
3663-593: The Zambezi River Authority . However, the commitment of member governments to honor the agreement seems weak and may not stand up to the pressures of climate change. Under the agreement, the Botswana government has a large allocation of water from the Zambezi near Kasane . The NWMP included plans for the Chobe/Zambezi Transfer scheme, taking about 495,000,000 cubic metres (400,000 acre-feet) annually from
3762-488: The 1920 establishment of two advisory councils to represent both Africans and Europeans. The African Council consisted of the eight heads of the Tswana tribes and some elected members. Proclamations in 1934 regulated tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council. In June 1964, the United Kingdom accepted proposals for
3861-485: The 7th to late 19th century, indicating it was occupied for more than 1,000 years. The hill was part of the formation of early states in southern Africa, with cattle as a major source of economy. The Toutswe settlement includes house-floors, large heaps of vitrified cow dung, and burials while the outstanding structure is the stone wall. Around 1000 AD, the Toutswe people moved into Botswana. However, agriculture also played
3960-402: The A Team from the party in 2010 after he became president. A new rivalry formed in 2018 when Khama's chosen successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, became president. He opposed Khama, and the two formed a political rivalry that continues to loom over Batswana politics in the 2020s. Botswana was ranked as a "flawed democracy" and 33rd out of 167 states in the 2023 Democracy Index (The Economist) , which
4059-578: The Batawana migrated into the Okavango Delta , probably in the 1790s. The first written records relating to modern-day Botswana appear in 1824. These records show that the Bangwaketse had become the predominant power in the region. Under the rule of Makaba II, the Bangwaketse kept vast herds of cattle in well-protected desert areas, and used their military prowess to raid their neighbours. Other chiefdoms in
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4158-588: The Batswana—most of whom were driven into the desert or sanctuary areas such as hilltops and caves. Only after 1843, when the Amandebele moved into western Zimbabwe, did this threat subside. During the 1840s and 1850s, trade with Cape Colony -based merchants opened up and enabled the Batswana chiefdoms to rebuild. The Bakwena , Bangwaketse, Bangwato and Batawana cooperated to control the lucrative ivory trade and used
4257-456: The Department of Mines and Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security maintains data regarding mining throughout the country. Debswana , the largest diamond mining company operating in Botswana, is a joint venture, 50% owned by the government. Mmamashia Mmamashia is a location in Botswana about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of the capital city of Gaborone that
4356-466: The Letsibogo reservoir on an ecology that has not been carefully studied would be greater. It would both destroy and create habitat. The review was cautious in its conclusions about the net impact. The review said "the socio-economic and archaeological issues seem to have been handled in a particularly outstanding way". The plan was divided into two phases. The Letsibogo Dam would be built in Phase 1, with
4455-689: The Mmamashia regulating pond, receiving compensation. Construction of a road from Mmamashia to Malolwane in the Kgatleng District was scheduled to start in June 2008, passing between the Matebeleng and Oodi villages. The government was compensating farmers who lost land. In May 2012 six families of squatters at Mmamashia with 37 children were evicted and their homes demolished by the Kgatleng Landboard. The residents said they had been allocated some of
4554-535: The NSC when needed through a 17 kilometres (11 mi) pipeline from Palapye . Exploitation of coal deposits in Botswana related to the South African Waterberg coalfield will also contribute to demand for water. Water from the Dikgatlhong Dam , completed in 2012, will be used in part to supply the large coalfield and power station at Mmamabula via the NSC pipeline. The Botswana National Water Master Plan (NWMP) identified promising sites for reservoirs in
4653-659: The NSC-2A pipeline to connect the Dikgatlhong Dam to the NSC was behind schedule. This part of the project had started in October 2011 and was due for completion in October 2013. The contractors, China State Construction Engineering Corp and the local Excavator Hire, had 350 employees, 75 of whom were Chinese. The delay was caused by failure of a factory in Palapye to produce pipes of acceptable quality. There were some concerns that further delays could occur if there were problems with blasting along
4752-505: The North-South Carrier could perhaps have been better allocated to other projects, with the government charging more realistic rates to encourage consumers to reduce their water usage, and with more emphasis on efficient use of existing supplies. Still, spending some of Botswana's diamond revenues on improved water supply is clearly popular among voters. Notes Citations Sources Botswana Botswana , officially
4851-558: The North-South Carrier. Some of this water could be passed on to South Africa. The two countries even speculated about "diverting the Zambezi River at Kazungula ", a prospect that was not welcomed by the other members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Eventually the question of claims on the Zambezi water were settled by the 1995 SADC protocol on shared Watercourse Systems and establishment of
4950-774: The Okavango Delta) are major tourist destinations. Other reserves include the Central Kalahari Game Reserve located in the Kalahari Desert in Ghanzi District ; Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Nxai Pan National Park are in the Central District in the Makgadikgadi Pan . Botswana faces two major environmental problems, drought and desertification , which are heavily linked. Three-quarters of
5049-539: The United Kingdom's Westminster system and the Tswana people's tribal governments. Botswana has a centralised government in which national law supersedes local law. Local laws are developed by local councils and district councils. They are heavily influenced by tribal governments, which are led by the tribe's chief. The Parliament of Botswana consists of the President and the National Assembly , which serves as
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#17330854388825148-468: The Zambezi for use in agriculture by 2022. In a 2010 report, the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources noted that Botswana might need more Zambezi water to meet expected urban demand by 2020. The ministry expected to implement the Chobe/Zambezi Transfer scheme earlier, and to link it up to the NSC. Botswana had discussed plans to extract the water at various Zambezi Watercourse Commission meetings, and had received no objections. The first phase of
5247-500: The area, by this time, had capitals of 10,000 or so and were fairly prosperous. This equilibrium came to end during the Mfecane period, 1823–1843, when a succession of invading peoples from South Africa entered the country. Although the Bangwaketse were able to defeat the invading Bakololo in 1826, over time, all the major chiefdoms in Botswana were attacked, weakened and impoverished. The Bakololo and AmaNdebele raided repeatedly and took large numbers of cattle, women and children from
5346-462: The collapse of Mapungubwe. During this era, the first Tswana-speaking groups, the Bakgalagadi , moved into the southern areas of the Kalahari . These various peoples were connected to trade routes that ran via the Limpopo River to the Indian Ocean ; trade goods from Asia such as beads made their way to Botswana, most likely in exchange for ivory, gold and rhinoceros horn . The Toutswemogala Hill Iron Age settlement's radio-carbon dates range from
5445-455: The command of Kgosi Moremi, fought and defeated the Ndebele's invasion of northern Botswana at the Battle of Khutiyabasadi . This is the start of the collapse of the Ndebele Kingdom in Zimbabwe and it helped the Tswana speaking authority. Due to newly peaceful conditions, trade thrived between 1860 and 1880. Christian missionaries were able to take advantage of this. The Lutherans and the London Missionary Society both became established in
5544-409: The country by 1856. By 1880, every major village had a resident missionary, and their influence slowly grew. Khama III (reigned 1875–1923) was the first of the Tswana chiefs to make Christianity a state religion, and a great deal of Tswana customary law changed as a result. Christianity became the de facto official religion in all the chiefdoms by World War I . During the Scramble for Africa , both
5643-424: The country were inhabited at least 400,000 years ago. It was claimed to have been the birthplace of all modern humans from around 200,000 years ago. Evidence left by modern humans, such as cave paintings, is about 73,000 years old. The earliest known inhabitants of southern Africa are thought to have been the forebears of present-day San ("Bushmen") and Khoi peoples. Both groups speak click languages from
5742-403: The country's human and animal populations depend on groundwater due to drought. Groundwater use through deep borehole drilling has somewhat eased the effects of drought. Surface water is scarce in Botswana, and less than 5% of the agriculture in the country is sustainable by rainfall. In the remaining 95% of the country, raising livestock is the primary source of rural income. Approximately 71% of
5841-416: The country's land is used for communal grazing, which has been a major cause of the desertification and the accelerating soil erosion in the country. Since raising livestock has been profitable for the people of Botswana, they continue to exploit the land with dramatically increasing numbers of animals. From 1966 to 1991, the livestock population grew from 1.7 million to 5.5 million. Similarly,
5940-428: The country. The Notwane provides water to the capital through the Gaborone Dam . The Chobe River meets with the Zambezi River at a place called Kazungula . Botswana has diverse areas of wildlife habitat. In addition to the delta and desert areas, there are grasslands and savannas . Northern Botswana has one of the few remaining large populations of the endangered African wild dog . Chobe National Park in
6039-522: The country. According to the International Monetary Fund , economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966 to 1999. Botswana has a high level of economic freedom compared to other African countries. The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy , despite consecutive budget deficits in 2002 and 2003, and a negligible level of foreign debt . It earned the highest sovereign credit rating in Africa and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $ 7 billion in 2005/2006) amounting to almost two and
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#17330854388826138-465: The existing pumping stations and installing a new pumping station, as well as upgrades to transfer links and treatment works at the south end of the pipeline. Initial planning also started for NSC-3, another pipeline in the same corridor. The three independent pipelines would provide greater security and redundancy, although they would be operated using an integrated communication and control system. In June 2012, stakeholders were told that construction of
6237-437: The first president), who had been serving as Mogae's vice-president since resigning his position as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force in 1998 to take up this civilian role. On 1 April 2018, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi was sworn in as the fifth president of Botswana, succeeding Ian Khama. He represents the Botswana Democratic Party , which has also won a majority in every parliamentary election since independence. All
6336-409: 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). Despite this, Botswana continues to grapple with high unemployment rates. Botswana is a member of the Southern African Customs Union , the Southern African Development Community , the Commonwealth of Nations and
6435-445: The funding for the project, concluded that the impact of the pipeline would be tolerable. The pipe would be buried. Native vegetation would soon regenerate along the route if the topsoil and subsoil were carefully removed and replaced without mixing. Plans for construction of the 28 metres (92 ft) high rock-filled Letsibogo Dam on the Motloutse River also included careful environmental impact assessment studies. The impact of
6534-454: The government denies that there is any link to mining, claiming the relocation is to preserve the wildlife and ecosystem, even though the San people have lived sustainably on the land for millennia. On the reservations, they struggle to find employment, and alcoholism is rampant. On 24 August 2018, the UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities , Fernand de Varennes, issued a statement calling on Botswana "to step up efforts to recognise and protect
6633-486: The human population has increased from 574,000 in 1971 to 1.5 million in 1995, a 161% increase in 24 years. Environmentalists report that the Okavango Delta is drying up due to increased livestock grazing. The Okavango Delta is one of the major semi-forested wetlands in Botswana and one of the largest inland deltas in the world; the ecosystem is crucial to the survival of many animals. The Department of Forestry and Range Resources has already begun to implement
6732-420: The land. The country had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.13/10, ranking it 8th globally out of 172 countries. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) claims that poverty is a major problem behind the overexploitation of resources, including land, in Botswana. The UNDP joined in with a project started in the southern community of Struizendam in Botswana. The project's purpose
6831-453: The largest single foreign contributor to the development of the BDF , and a large segment of its officer corps have received U.S. training. The Botswana government gave the United States permission to explore the possibility of establishing an Africa Command ( AFRICOM ) base in the country. Botswana is the 50th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index . The Botswana Centre for Human Rights , Ditshwanelo,
6930-465: The legislature has little power to check the president once appointed. The judiciary includes the High Court of Botswana , the Court of Appeal and Magistrates' Courts. Cases are often settled by customary courts with tribal chiefs presiding. Elections in Botswana are held every five years and overseen by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Botswana operates a multi-party system in which many political parties compete in elections. It
7029-462: The nation's formal and sole legislature, while the Ntlo ya Dikgosi serves an advisory body made up of tribal chiefs and other appointed members. Botswana's executive branch is led by the President of Botswana , who serves as both the head of state and head of government . The members of parliament choose the president, and the president then appoints the vice-president and cabinet members. The president has significant power in Botswana, and
7128-403: The naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 11% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 24% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership and 76% private ownership . The Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve (in
7227-511: The needs of neighboring countries. The station that extracts water from the Zamebezi could also supply a pipeline to Namibia. Some of the water could be pumped from Francistown to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Transfer of water to meet the needs of thirsty regions like that around Gaborone may have negative impacts on the poor riparian communities that will lose water. It is possible that transferring water-intensive industries to water-rich regions may be
7326-638: The new Bechuanaland Protectorate. During the 1890s, the new territory was divided into eight different reserves, with fairly small amounts of land being left as freehold for white settlers . During the early 1890s, the British government decided to hand over the Bechuanaland Protectorate to the British South Africa Company . This plan, which was well on its way to fruition despite the entreaties of Tswana leaders who toured England in protest,
7425-464: The northeast on the small, ephemeral Motloutse and Shashe tributaries of the Limpopo River . The North-South Carrier Water Project was launched to build a pipeline that would carry water from these sites to the area of highest demand around Gaborone in the southeast. A 1994 review of environmental assessments conducted for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation , which provided some of
7524-563: The pipeline at Palla Road and Mmamabula , and water would also be injected from the Bokaa Dam. The Letsibogo Dam was designed for the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources by Arup , who also supervised construction of the water storage embankment and central clay-core dam. Letsibogo has storage capacity of 100,000,000 cubic metres (3.5×10 cu ft). J. Burrow provided engineering services including designs, contract documents, managing
7623-453: The pipeline itself, as well as pumping stations, water treatment plants, storage and balancing reservoirs, measurement and control systems and infrastructure. Construction took five years. The North South Carrier Scheme cost about US$ 350 million, and started operation in 2000. There were problems in laying the glass-reinforced piping, which caused the original January 1999 target completion date to be missed. A revised target date of June 2000
7722-490: The previous presidents have also represented the same party. A long-running dispute over the northern border with Namibia 's Caprivi Strip was the subject of a ruling by the International Court of Justice in December 1999. It ruled that Kasikili Island belongs to Botswana. Following the independence in 1966, the president always represented the same political party until the 2024 Botswana general election , which
7821-580: The primary supply. Instead, the plant was using water from the Gaborone Dam and water imported from South Africa . Phase 2 of the North-South Carrier Water Project brings additional water from the Dikgatlhong Dam . The additional water is expected to come available in 2014. The Mmamashia plant will be upgraded with an additional capacity of 45 Ml/d pre-treatment, due to eutrophication at Bokaa, and 45 Ml/day secondary treatment. Thirteen families were forced to move for construction of
7920-688: The proceeds to import horses and guns, which in turn enabled them to establish control over what is now Botswana. This process was largely complete by 1880, and the Batswana subjugated thus the Bushmen, Kalanga, Bakgalagadi and other current minorities. Following the Great Trek , Afrikaners from the Cape Colony established themselves on the borders of Botswana in the Transvaal . In 1852, a coalition of Tswana chiefdoms led by Sechele I defeated Afrikaner incursions at
8019-519: The programme is giving the government information to help with policy development. Botswana is a parliamentary republic governed by the Constitution of Botswana . It is the longest uninterrupted democracy in Africa. Its seat of government is in Gaborone . Botswana's governing institutions were established after it became an independent nation in 1966. Botswana's governmental structure is based on both
8118-473: The project would deliver the water to the Pandamatenga area for agricultural use, and the second phase would carry water from Pandamatenga south to the NSC. The pipeline would run via Francistown to join the NSC at Break Pressure Tank 1 (Moralane). Depending on the route selected, it would be 500 to 520 kilometres (310 to 320 mi) long. The Botswana government notes that the pipeline development could serve
8217-592: The rights of minorities in relation to public services, land and resource use, and the use of minority languages in education and other critical areas." Botswana is divided into 10 administrative districts , 2 city districts, 4 towns, 11 sub-districts and, in total, 16 administrative divisions. They are: These are administered by 16 local authorities (district councils, city councils or town councils). In 1977, Botswana's administrative divisions were Ngamiland, Chobe, Francistown, Ngwato, Tuli, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Ngwaketse, Kweneng, Gaborone and Lobatse. In 2006, Chobe
8316-573: The section from the Letsibogo Dam to the Moralane break-pressure tank and pumping station. Along this stretch, the new pipeline runs parallel to the NSC-1 pipeline, and great care must be taken to ensure no damage is done to the existing pipeline. In the 1980s and early 1990s the Botswana and South African governments began discussing the possibility of drawing water from the Zambezi River and feeding it into
8415-431: The small Khoe-Kwadi , Kx’a and Tuu language families whose members hunted, gathered and traded over long distances. When cattle were first introduced into southern Africa about 2,000 years ago, pastoralism became a major feature of the economy since the region had large grasslands free of tsetse flies . It is unclear when Bantu -speaking peoples first moved into the country from the north, although AD 600 seems to be
8514-411: The summer months of October through April, at a time when temperatures over 30 °C (86 °F) cause high levels of evaporation. Rainfall is undependable. A drought period may last for several years. Precipitation is highest in the northeast, at about 690 millimetres (27 in) annually, and lowest in the southwest, at about 250 millimetres (9.8 in) annually. Annual average potential evaporation
8613-423: The tendering process and managing construction of the NSC-1 pipeline. Pipe diameters in NSC-1 ranged from 1.4 metres (4 ft 7 in) down to 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in). The pipe was made of alternating sections of glass-reinforced plastic ( fiberglass ) and steel. It was placed in a trench, bedded in sand and buried, within a 30 metres (98 ft) wide easement corridor. The project included installing
8712-542: The territories transferred to their jurisdiction, the UK kept delaying; consequently, it never occurred. The election of the Nationalist government in 1948, which instituted apartheid , and South Africa's withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, ended any prospect of the UK or these territories agreeing to incorporation into South Africa. An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of native government resulted in
8811-406: The total pipeline length. The NSC is the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Botswana. Botswana has an arid climate, with little in the way of surface water supplies. Until recently, groundwater wells were used to meet about 80% of the demand for water. Some of the groundwater accumulated long ago when the climate was wetter. "Groundwater mining" is not sustainable in areas where the water
8910-422: The water is distributed to consumers in the Gaborone area. The reservoir is built of reinforced concrete, and has a capacity of 78,000 cubic metres (2,800,000 cu ft). The reservoir is closed to minimize loss through evaporation. As of 2003 the plant had capacity of 92,000 cubic metres (3,200,000 cu ft) per day. That year there was a shortage of water from the Letsibogo Dam, planned to be
9009-434: Was a dominant-party state in which the Botswana Democratic Party had ruled with a majority government from independence in 1966 to 2024. The nation's elections are recognized as free and fair , but the ruling party has institutional advantages that other parties do not. Factionalism is common within Botswana's political parties, and several groups have formed new parties by splitting from established ones. Since 2019,
9108-461: Was also missed, with further delays caused by failures of the pipeline and pumping station equipment. These caused cost increases from the original estimate of P1,200 million to around P1,500 million. Since opening, NSC-1 has had ongoing reliability problems. In April 2012 a man who was prospecting for minerals entered the pipeline corridor and caused the pipe to burst, sending a stream of about 1,000 liters (220 imp gal; 260 U.S. gal)
9207-478: Was established in 1993. Until June 2019, homosexual acts were illegal in Botswana. A Botswana High Court decision of 11 June of that year struck down provisions in the Criminal Code that punished "carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature" and "acts of gross indecency", making Botswana one of 22 African countries that have either decriminalised or legalised homosexual acts. Capital punishment
9306-713: Was eventually foiled by the failure of the Jameson Raid in January 1896. When the Union of South Africa was formed from the main British colonies in the region in 1910, the High Commission Territories—the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Basutoland (now Lesotho ) and Swaziland (now Eswatini )—were not included, but provision was made for their later incorporation. However, the UK began to consult with their inhabitants as to their wishes. Although successive South African governments sought to have
9405-562: Was formed in 1977. The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces and appoints a defence council. In 2019, Botswana signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Following political changes in South Africa and the region, the BDF's missions have increasingly focused on preventing poaching , preparing for disasters , and supporting foreign peacekeeping . The United States has been
9504-470: Was historic in that the opposition party won. Duma Boko became the first president who did not represent the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). On 1 November 2024, Duma Boko, leader of opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), was sworn in as president of Botswana. At 581,730 km (224,607 sq mi), Botswana is the world's 48th-largest country. It also has a mean altitude of roughly 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level. Botswana
9603-433: Was removed from being an administrative division, and Ngamiland's name was changed to North West district. Chobe was readded on 31 March 2014. That same day, the administrative divisions Francistown, Gaborone, Jwaneng, Lobatse, Selibe Phikwe, and Sowa Town were also added. Since independence, Botswana has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world. Formerly one of the world's poorest countries—with
9702-415: Was the second-highest rating in Africa, and the highest ranking in continental Africa (only the offshore island nation of Mauritius bested its ranking). However, according to the 2024 V-Dem Democracy Indices , Botswana has been experiencing an episode of democratic backsliding over the past 10 years, recording its lowest ever score on the indices. The indices classify Botswana as an electoral democracy in
9801-474: Was to have pumping stations at Letsibogo, Moralane , Palapye and Serorome Valley . The Serorome station was later deferred to a future upgrade. There would be break-pressure tanks at Moralane, Thoti Hill, Mameno and Lose Hill. Towns and large villages along the route would be fed by raw water taken from the pipeline at Palapye , supplying Moropule and Serowe , and at Mahalapye , supplying Kalamare and Shoshong . Water from wellfields would be injected into
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