The country of Bostwana is officially known as the Republic of Bostwana. It’s a landlocked country in the southern area of Africa, and is surrounded by Zimbabwe to the northeast, with South Africa to the south and southeast and with Namibia to both the west and the north.
It also has another border with Zambia located in the north of the country, however, it is only a few hundred meters long and it has been the source of disputes between the two countries because it is poorly defined and identified.
Its capital city is Gaborone.
Continue reading and discover all these amazing facts about Botswana.
Botswana Facts
1. Botswana is one of the most ancient countries in the world
Studies have found that the San people of Botswana are one of the oldest groups of inhabitants in the world. Anthropologists have discovered that the San people lived in the southernmost areas of the African continent around 22,000 years ago.
In addition to this, archeologists have also found art that was drawn in the rocks in the Tsodilo Hills. Thus they have concluded that this was the spiritual home of both the San and Bantu people.
Tourists have shown deep interest in these areas, thus a small museum has been created in order to inform people about these findings.
2. This country’s history is unique and fascinating
Botswana used to be a British protectorate territory called Bechuanaland. Once the country became independent on the 30th of September 1966, the government decided to change its name to Botswana.
This African country is a representative republic, and, it is also the longest democratic nation on the continent. In other words, its democracy has never been interrupted due to military dictatorships, unlike many other nearby countries, a fun fact about Botswana.
Even though Botswana is not a big country, it is still home for more than 2 million people, thus, it is also the most sparsely populated country in the whole world.
Another interesting thing is that both Botswana and Zambia share the shortest border in the world, as they are only separated by 150 meters.
3. Botswana natural beauty is everywhere in the country
Geographically speaking, Botswana is a very flat country, and at least 70% of its territory belongs to the Kalahari Desert National Park.
A good initiative that Botswana’s government has had is that they are trying to preserve its nature by creating high quality and low impact eco-tourism industry. By doing so, going to Botswana means that the price tags for both accommodation and safari tours can be really, really high.
And since the government is aware that no other country in the world can offer what Botswana has, they get away with charging a lot of money for tourists to enjoy their awesome wildlife, where they will be able to see at least 500 different birds, elephants, giraffes, and many other animals.
4. Water is everything in Botswana
Botswana often experiences severe droughts, thus every time it rains people are truly happy. An interesting fact about Botswana is that their currency represents this, as its called pula, which means rain or blessing in their official and national language, Setswana.
Also, the Okavango River, which is the source of the Okavango Delta, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is home to many different types of flora and fauna.
5. Botswana is a very multicultural country
And this is reflected in the languages that are spoken throughout the region. For example, both English and Setswana are the official languages of the country.
However, in addition to those two languages, one can find another 18 tribal languages that are spoken in different parts of the territory.
This multicultural background can also be represented when talking about intercultural marriages. The former President Ian Khama’s mother, Ruth Willims Khama, was a white woman from England, who married Seretse Khama, another former president of the country.
During the time the Khamas met, South Africa was going through Apartheid, and it became really difficult for them to maintain their relationship in his country. They had to live in exile, in London, for a couple of years.
6. The Kalahari Desert is huge
And it covers at least 80% of the national territory, an interesting Botswana fact.
This also means that most of the Botswana territory is protected, and many activities, such as hunting, are prohibited in public areas.
Another important thing is that this desert has shaped the climate of the country, so, Botswana is mostly arid and, in some areas, it is semi-arid.
7. In Botswana, wildlife is considered to be as important as human beings
This is because Botswana has become a sanctuary for many animals, including some African elephants.
Did you know that this African country is home to the world’s largest population of elephants? This means that you will be able to see many, many elephants in Botswana, especially if you go to the Chobe National Park.
On the other hand, you will see wild meerkats if you visit the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, and, what’s more, if you decide to go to the Makgadikgadi National Park, you will see thousands of zebras roaming around, a fun Botswana fact.
If you are into bigger and faster animals, then you will want to go to Linyanti. If you are lucky, you will see leopards and wild dogs.
Lastly, if you would like to see white and black rhinos, then head over to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, which is one of the biggest community-based projects that focus all their energy and proceedings in maintaining these two endangered species.
Conclusion
Botswana is one of those places that make you think you are dreaming. If you go there, you will soon realize this, especially when you are driving around in some areas, and, instead of traffic jams, you will see a massive line of elephants crossing around.
This country is also considered a very safe place for tourists, however, this doesn’t mean that you should be precautious about things, especially during nighttime.
In addition, Botswana offers an incredible amount of outdoor activities, and they offer different budgets for you to choose from.
I hope that this article on Botswana facts was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Country Facts Page!
