The Republic of Botswana
is situated in Southern Africa, nestled between South Africa, Namibia,
Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Botswana lies immediately to the north of South Africa. It is bordered
on the north and west by Namibia, on the north and east by Zimbabwe,
and is connected by a narrow strip of land on the northern border to
Zambia. Its territory consists almost entirely of a broad, flat, arid
subtropical plateau, though there are hills in the eastern part of the
country.
In the northwest, the Okavango River empties into the Kalahari sands,
creating the largest inland river delta in the world. While the
Okavango Delta is home to relatively few large game animals in
comparison to other areas of Botswana, its clear waters and myriad
small islands are home to an astounding variety of birds, plants, and
smaller species of animals.
Nearby is Chobe National Park, a beautiful grassland reserve that has
gained international fame for its abundant elephant population.
Southeast of Chobe are Botswana's enormous Makgadikgadi salt pans, home
to large herds of blue wildebeest, several antelope species, and those
international lovers of salt pans, flamingos.
The
Okavango River, one of Africa's longest rivers, begins in Angola and
ends in Botswana where it provides a freshwater haven for some of the
most spectacular wildlife in the world. Known as "the river which
never finds the sea," its freshwater evaporates and seeps into the
Kalahari sands, disappearing in the Okavango Delta.
Almost the entire remaining portion of the country is covered by the
Kalahari Desert--a varied environment of sand, savanna, and grassland.
Although this area of Botswana is only sparsely inhabited by humans, it
is one of the richest wildlife regions in all of Africa.
Botswana's
two largest parks, the Central Kalahari Game reserve and Gemsbok
National Park, are found in this region.
Mashatu Game
Reserve, which is the largest private reserve in Southern
Africa, has the largest elephant population (almost 900) on private
land in the world. It occupies the area between the Shashe and
Limpopo
rivers in the Tuli Block. Mashatu covers 46,000ha of savannah plains,
riverine forests, open marshland and rugged outcrops of sandstone.
The aboriginal inhabitants of Botswana, who have made the Kalahari
their home for at least 30,000 years, are the San, or bushmen. The San
number about 60,000 today, constituting a small but fascinating
cultural minority in the country. Almost two millennia ago, a Bantu
people known as the Tswana arrived, supplanting the San and now
constituting the great majority of the population.
Botswana
# Population: 1.8 million
# Capital: Gaborone
# Major languages: English (official), Setswana
# Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs
# Monetary unit: 1 Pula = 100 thebe
# Main exports: Diamonds, copper, nickel, beef
# Internet domain: .bw
# International dialling code: +267
The Baobab tree is known as the "Tree of Life, with roots reaching to
the sky and branches in the earth." It's circumference can be over 30
feet and thrives 2,000 years.
