Facts (information from CIA Factbook)
Location - Southern Africa, north of South Africa (map)
Area - 600,370 sq km
Climate - semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Population - 1,639,833 (July 2006 estimate)
Ethnic groups - Tswana (Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other (including Kgalagadi and white) 7%
Religions - Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified .4%, none 20.6% (as of 2001 census)
Languages - Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagdi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official language), other 8.6% (as of 2001 census)
Government type - parliamentary republic
Industries - diamonds, copper, nickel, sale, soda ash, potash, livestock processing, textiles
GDP - $9.255 billion (2005 estimate)
Currency - pula
Independence - September 30, 1996 (from Great Britain)
Head of State - President Festus G. Mogae (since April 1998)

For further information on Botswana....

• Lonely Planet's Guide to Botswana
• Official site of the Republic of Botswana