pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Kgosi SEEPAPITSO IV
chancery: 1531–1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244–4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244–4164
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John E. LANGE
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 356947
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
Botswana Economy
Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $6,600 in 2000. Diamond mining has fueled much of Botswana's economic expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for three-fourths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. The government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 19%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4%
industry: 46% (including 36% mining)
services: 50% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 47% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.6% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 235,000 formal sector employees (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: 100,000 public sector; 135,000 private sector, including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South Africa; most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 40% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.6 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560 million (FY96)
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 610 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 1.517 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 950 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: sorghum, corn, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock
Exports: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: diamonds 72%, vehicles, copper, nickel, meat (1998)
Exports - partners: EU 77%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 18%, Zimbabwe 3% (1998)
Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 76%,
Europe 10%, South Korea 5% (1998)
Debt - external: $455 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $73 million (1995)
Currency: pula (BWP)
Currency code: BWP
Exchange rates: pulas per US dollar - 5.4585 (January 2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997), 3.3242 (1996)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Botswana Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 86,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: sparse system
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations
international: two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 31,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 12,000 (2000)
Botswana Transportation
Railways: total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
Highways:
