Ashlee's Peace Corps adventure...

Facts and Figures

Name Botswana, (long form) Republic of Botswana

Population 1,600,000

Capital City Gaborone (178,000)

Languages Setswana 78%, Kalanga 8%, and others

National Day September 30

Official Currency Pula (BWP)


Religions Christian (75%), Badimo, and others

Geographic Coordinates

Latitude/Longitude (Capital City) 24º 45S, 25º 55E
Relative Location Located south of the Equator and disected by the Tropic of Capricorn, Botswana is in both the eastern and southern hemispheres. This landlocked country is positioned in southern Africa, and bordered by the countries of Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Land Statistics

Coastline 0 (landlocked)

Land Area 569,582 sq km (219,916 sq miles)

Landforms The flat southern African plateau covers much of the country, with an average elevation of 3,300 ft. The Kalahari Desert blankets the southwest.

To the north, the Okavango Delta provides a thriving oasis, while numerous salt lakes and pans attract an array of migrant waterfowl, including Flamingos.

Additional landforms include savanna grasslands in the east, and a dry scrub along the western border with Namibia.

Significant rivers include the Limpopo, Okavango and Shashe.

Highest Point Tsodilo Hills - 4,885 ft. (1,489 m)

Lowest Point At the junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers - 513 m (1,683 ft)

Land Divisions 9 districts and 5 town councils; districts include: Central, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, Souther; town councils include: Francistown, Gaborone, Jwaneng, Lobatse, and Selebi-Pikwe
Time and Weather

Time Zone (UTC +2) Note that UTC is also known as GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time.

Climate Winters are comfortable, with cool nights and some frost in the desert. Daytime highs in the low 40s are commonplace.

Summers are hot and dry with daytime highs in the upper 80s; often much higher in the desert.

The summer rainy season runs (November - March), and 20 inches of total accumulation is the norm. Rainfall in the Kalahari Desert is very light and significant rain during other times of the year is rare.

Note that Botswana seasons are just the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere; Spring (Sept - Oct), Summer (late Oct - mid-Mar), Fall (late Mar - Apr) and Winter (May-Aug.)

(info taken from: http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/bw.htm)