"text":"Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name at independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease."
"text":"estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)"
"text":"President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government"
},
"head of government":{
"text":"President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008); Vice President Ponatshego KEDIKILWE (since 2 August 2012)"
},
"cabinet":{
"text":"Cabinet appointed by the president"
},
"elections/appointments":{
"text":"president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); vice president appointed by the president"
},
"election results":{
"text":"Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA"
}
},
"Legislative branch":{
"description":{
"text":"unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 4 nominated by the president and indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the rest of the National Assembly, and 2 ex-officio members - the president and attorney general; elected members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), an advisory body to the National Assembly, consists of 35 members - 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes, 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs, customary courts, customary law, tribal property, and constitutional amendments"
},
"elections":{
"text":"National Assembly elections last held on 24 October 2014 (next to be held in October 2019)"
"text":"Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament)"
},
"judge selection and term of office":{
"text":"Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70"
},
"subordinate courts":{
"text":"Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court "
}
},
"Political parties and leaders":{
"text":"Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO] ++ Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO] ++ Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Ian KHAMA] ++ Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Ndaba GAOLATLHE] ++ Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO] ++ Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Motlatsi MOLAPISI] ++ Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC [Duma BOKO] (includes BMD, BPP, and BNF)"
},
"Political pressure groups and leaders":{
"text":"First People of the Kalahari (Bushman organization) ++ Pitso Ya Ba Tswana ++ Society for the Promotion of Ikalanga Language (Kalanga elites)",
"text":"Ambassador David John NEWMAN (since 3 August 2015)"
},
"chancery":{
"text":"1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[1] (202) 244-4990"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[1] (202) 244-4164"
}
},
"Diplomatic representation from the US":{
"chief of mission":{
"text":"Ambassador Earl R. MILLER (since 30 January 2015)"
},
"embassy":{
"text":"Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone"
},
"mailing address":{
"text":"Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[267] 395-3982"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[267] 318-0232"
}
},
"Flag description":{
"text":"light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center; the blue symbolizes water in the form of rain, while the black and white bands represent racial harmony"
},
"National symbol(s)":{
"text":"zebra; national colors: blue, white, black"
"text":"Botswana's diamond dependent economy has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. However, economic growth was negative in 2009, with the industrial sector shrinking by 30%, after the global crisis reduced demand for Botswana's diamonds. Although the economy recovered in 2010-12, GDP growth slowed in 2012-14. 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 GDP of $16,600 in 2014. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP, 70-80% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. Botswana's heavy reliance on a single luxury export was a critical factor in the sharp economic contraction of 2009. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. According to official government statistics, unemployment reached 17.8% in 2009, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond production within the next 10-15 years overshadows long-term prospects. A major international diamond company signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 to move its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone by the end of 2013. The move has supported the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry."
"text":"foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products"
},
"Reserves of foreign exchange and gold":{
"text":"$8.885 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $7.726 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
},
"Debt - external":{
"text":"$2.505 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $2.461 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
},
"Exchange rates":{
"text":"pulas (BWP) per US dollar - ++ 9.19 (2014 est.) ++ 8.3989 (2013 est.) ++ 7.62 (2012 est.) ++ 6.8382 (2011 est.) ++ 6.7936 (2010 est.)"
"Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy":{
"text":"3.919 million Mt (2012 est.)"
}
},
"Communications":{
"Telephones - fixed lines":{
"total subscriptions":{
"text":"170,000"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"8 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephones - mobile cellular":{
"total":{
"text":"3.4 million"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"158 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephone system":{
"general assessment":{
"text":"Botswana is participating in regional development efforts; expanding fully digital system with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east as well as a system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relays links, and radiotelephone communication stations"
},
"domestic":{
"text":"fixed-line teledensity has declined in recent years and now stands at roughly 7 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity now pushing 140 telephones per 100 persons"
},
"international":{
"text":"country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2011)"
}
},
"Broadcast media":{
"text":"2 TV stations - 1 state-owned and 1 privately owned; privately owned satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned national radio stations; 3 privately owned radio stations broadcast locally (2007)"
},
"Radio broadcast stations":{
"text":"AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)"
},
"Television broadcast stations":{
"text":"2 (1 state-owned, 1 private) (2007)"
},
"Internet country code":{
"text":".bw"
},
"Internet users":{
"total":{
"text":"283,500"
},
"percent of population":{
"text":"13.2% (2014 est.)"
}
}
},
"Transportation":{
"Airports":{
"text":"74 (2013)"
},
"Airports - with paved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"10"
},
"over 3,047 m":{
"text":"2"
},
"2,438 to 3,047 m":{
"text":"1"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"6"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"1 (2013)"
}
},
"Airports - with unpaved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"64"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"5"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"46"
},
"under 914 m":{
"text":" ++ 13 (2013)"
}
},
"Railways":{
"total":{
"text":"888 km"
},
"narrow gauge":{
"text":"888 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)"
}
},
"Roadways":{
"total":{
"text":"17,916 km"
},
"note":{
"text":"includes 8,916 km of Public Highway Network roads (6,116 km paved and 2,800 km unpaved) and 9,000 km of District Council roads (2011)"
}
}
},
"Military":{
"Military branches":{
"text":"Botswana Defense Force (BDF): Ground Forces Command, Air Wing Command, Defense Logistics Command, Special Forces Group (2013)"
},
"Military service age and obligation":{
"text":"18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)"
},
"Manpower available for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"557,647"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"531,095 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower fit for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"340,949"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"302,332 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually":{
"male":{
"text":"23,649"
},
"female":{
"text":"23,063 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Military expenditures":{
"text":"2% of GDP (2013) ++ 2.31% of GDP (2012) ++ 2.43% of GDP (2011) ++ 2.31% of GDP (2010)"
"text":"Botswana is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; young Batswana serving as domestic workers, sometimes sent by their parents, may be denied education and basic necessities or experience confinement and abuse indicative of forced labor; adults and children of San ethnicity were reported to be in forced labor on farms and at cattle posts; Batswana girls also are forced into prostitution domestically; undocumented Asian workers may be vulnerable to forced labor due to the threat of deportation"
},
"tier rating":{
"text":"Tier 2 Watch List – Botswana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; nevertheless, authorities did not increase anti-trafficking efforts in 2013; no cases involving domestic trafficking were investigated, no trafficking offenders were criminally prosecuted and convicted, and no reports of official complicity were investigated; the government did not pass anti-trafficking legislation or launch a public awareness campaign; formal victim identification and referral procedures were not developed (2014)"
