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 Botswana
Tell someone that you've been
to Botswana and watch their face. Most have heard the name before but few could point to
it on a map of Africa - assuming they actually know it is in Africa.
(Check out the maps if you're not sure where Botswana is.)
In many ways it would be
wonderful if Botswana remained an 'unknown' country - peaceful, relatively crime-free, and
not subject to the commercial and environmental pressures of over-dependence on tourism.
Visitors cannot fail to be impressed by the unspoiled nature of the country and the
friendliness of the people.
Although 84% of Botswana is
covered by the Kalahari Desert, the country is far from being a flat and inhospitable
stretch of sandy nothingness. In the north is the
spectacular, wildlife-rich Okavango Delta while, along the eastern edge of the country,
ranges of hills and innumerable rocky outcrops provide a varied landscape.
Botswana is committed to
conservation, with over 17% of the country designated as national
park or wildlife sanctuary with a further 22% around these areas
allocated for wildlife management. Several large game
reserves provide exciting opportunities for those who want to go on safari. For the
less-adventurous, or those who want to experience wildlife in a natural environment
without having to travel vast distances, the Mokolodi Nature Reserve is
the perfect destination. There can be few other parts of the world where you can be seeing
rhinos in the wild within minutes of arriving at the country's main airport.
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Botswana
Facts & Figures
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Head of State:
Government:
Capital city:
Languages:
Currency:
Area:
Population:
Economy:
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President Festus Mogae
multi-party democracy
Gaborone
English & Setswana
Pula (100 thebe)
582 000 sq km
1.7 million (2001)
diamonds, tourism, cattle,
financial services, manufacturing
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Visit
the official Botswana tourism website.
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