Botswana

The British protectorate of Bechuanaland declared its independence on September 30, 1966, and became the Republic of Botswana. 

Botswana was never actually colonised. It was a protectorate of Britain only after three chiefs from Botswana travelled to England to request such an arrangement.

Seretse Khama took office as Botswana's first President.

Seretse Khama was born into a royal family in what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland (now Botswana) on July 1, 1921. He was educated in South Africa and England, where he studied law at Oxford University. In 1948, he married Ruth Williams, a white woman from England, which caused a political scandal both in Botswana and in Britain. Despite facing strong opposition, Khama persevered and eventually became the first president of Botswana.

As president, Khama implemented policies that focused on promoting economic growth and social development. One of his most important initiatives was the development of the country's diamond industry, which helped to fuel the economy and create jobs. He also invested heavily in infrastructure projects, such as building roads and schools, and encouraged foreign investment in the country.

Under Khama's leadership, Botswana experienced significant economic growth, with an average annual growth rate of 7% between 1966 and 1980. This was due in large part to the country's stable political environment, which attracted foreign investment, and the government's prudent fiscal policies. Botswana also benefited from a strong education system, which produced a highly skilled workforce.

Khama's legacy in Botswana is still celebrated today, as he is widely regarded as one of the country's greatest leaders. His commitment to democracy, social justice, and economic development helped to transform Botswana from a poor, rural backwater into a prosperous, modern nation.

Ian Khama, the son of Seretse Khama was the fourth president of Botswana from April 1, 2008 to April 1, 2018. Ian Khama is also paramount chief of the largest tribe in the country, the Bamangwato.

Botswana is a landlocked country 581 730, square kilometres (224, 610 sq mi) in extent. It is roughly the size of France.

Botswana has a population of 2,359,609 people according to its 2022 census. Its population density is  4.1 people per square kilometre, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world.

The Kalahari Desert covers 70 per cent of Botswana.

The majority of the people live on the eastern side of the country. About 11.6 per cent of the population lives in the capital and largest city, Gaborone. 

The capital, Gaborone, is pronounced Ha-bo-ro-nee.

The flag of Botswana  was adopted in 1966 to replace the Union Jack. Its colors carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The light blue represents rain water, which is a precious resource in Botswana. The black band with the white frame symbolizes the harmony and cooperation between the people of different races who live in Botswana, as well as the racial diversity of the country. Furthermore, they represent the stripes of the zebra, the national animal of Botswana.

One Botswana citizen is called a motswana. Batswana is the word used for many citizens of Botswana.

English is the official language while Setswana is considered the national language. Tjikalanga is commonly spoken in northeastern Botswana.

In the !Xoo language of Botswana and Namibia, spoken by about 4,000 people, there are 112 distinct sounds (there are about 40 in English). The ! at the start of !Xoo represents one of the five basic click sounds in the language.

Botswana is the world’s second-biggest diamond producer, behind Russia. Most of the diamonds in the country are mined by Debswana- a company in which DeBeers owns 50% of the shares and the Government of Botswana the other 50% .

Jwaneng Diamond Mine, in the south of the country, is the richest diamond mine in the world. It is estimated to have produced tens of billions of US dollar worth of diamonds since it began operations in 1982. 

The official currency of Botswana is the pula which gets its name from a local word for rain. Because of the scarcity of rain in Botswana — home to much of the Kalahari Desert — pula also means blessing or luck and the word pula is the national motto of the country.

17% of the country is protected wildlife area, more than the internationally recommended 10%.

The kgotla system is entrenched in Setswana culture and is based on a system of democracy and free speech were every person in attendance has the right to speak their mind.

When a child in Botswana loses a tooth they throw their tooth on the roof and say “Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon, please bring me a new tooth.”

Goats and chickens are raised for meat. Cattle are slaughtered only for special occasions.

A popular relish is made of onions, chicken stock, and tomato sauce. 

The Makgadikadi Pans are the largest salt pans in the world with an area of about 4, 600 square miles (12,000 sq km).

The Okavango delta is the largest inland delta in the world covering about 15 000 km2.

The border between Botswana and Zambia is just 135 meters (443 ft) long. It is the shortest border between two fully independent countries.

The coat of arms of Botswana is based on a shield supported by two zebras. One zebra is also holding an elephant's tusk, the other a stalk of millet.

Farmers in Botswana have started painting eyes on their cows' bottoms to stop lions from attacking them.

Sources Thoughtsfrombotswana.blogspot.co.uk, Countryreports.org/country/Botswana.html, Botswana.co, Daily Express