Republic of Botswana

Republic of Botswana Lefatshe la Botswana  (Tswana)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Pula" (Tswana) "Rain"
Anthem: Fatshe leno la rona  (Tswana) This Land of Ours
Location of  Botswana  (dark blue) – in Africa  (light blue & dark grey) – in the African Union  (light blue)  –  [Legend]
Capital and largest city	Gaborone 24°39.5′S 25°54.5′E / 24.6583°S 25.9083°E / -24.6583; 25.9083
Official languages	Setswana English
Ethnic groups	79% Tswana 11% Kalanga 3% Basarwa 3% Kgalagadi 3% White 1% others
Religion	Christianity
Demonym	Batswana (plural) Motswana (singular)
Government	Parliamentary republic
• President	Ian Khama
• Vice-President	Mokgweetsi Masisi
Legislature	National Assembly
Independence from the United Kingdom
• Established (Constitution)	30 September 1966
Area
• Total	581,730 km2 (224,610 sq mi) (48th)
• Water (%)	2.6
Population
• 2014 estimate	2,155,784 (145th)
• 2011 census	2,038,228
• Density	3.7/km2 (9.6/sq mi) (231st)
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$36.505 billion
• Per capita	$16,947
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$10.948 billion
• Per capita	$5,082
Gini (2013)	60.5 very high
HDI (2014)	0.698 medium · 106th
Currency	Pula (BWP)
Time zone	Central Africa Time (UTC+2)
Date format	DD/MM/YYYY
Drives on the	left
Calling code	+267
ISO 3166 code	BW
Internet TLD	.bw
Website www.gov.bw

– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)
– in the African Union  (light blue)  –  [Legend]

Botswana (/bɒtˈswɑːnə/), officially the Republic of Botswana (Tswana: Lefatshe la Botswana), is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens refer to themselves as Batswana (singular: Motswana). Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has maintained a strong tradition of stable representative democracy, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections.

Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its border with Zambia to the north near Kazungula is poorly defined but at most is a few hundred metres long.