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Botswana: South Africa
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Botswana [1] is a land-locked country located in Southern Africa and bordering on Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining and tourism. Botswana is famous for its wildlife, areas like the Chobe National Park, Moremi National Park in the Okavango Delta and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve have a very high concentration of game. The bulk of the Kalahari desert falls within Botswana's borders and Botswana is home to most of the world's San (bushman) population.
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The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on September 30, 1966. It is bordered by ► South Africa to the south and southeast, ► Namibia to the west, ► Zambia to the north, and ► Zimbabwe to the northeast. The economy, closely tied to South Africa's, is dominated by mining (especially diamonds), cattle, and tourism. The country is named after its largest ethnic group, the Tswana.
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Since independence, Botswana has had the fastest growth in per capita income in the world. Economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966-1999. The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy, despite consecutive budget deficits in 2002 and 2003, and a negligible level of foreign debt. It earned the highest sovereign credit rating in Africa and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $5.1 billion in 2003/2004) amounting to almost two and one half years of current imports. Botswana's impressive economic record has been built on the foundation of wisely using revenue generated from diamond mining to fuel economic development through prudent fiscal policies and a cautious foreign policy. Debswana, the only diamond mining company operating in Botswana, is 50 percent owned by the government and generates about half of all government revenues.
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Botswana, a multi-party democracy since gaining its independence in 1966, has a market-oriented economy that encourages private enterprise and is ranked as Africa's least corrupt. It ... had one of the world's highest average growth rates during the past four decades and possesses Africa's highest sovereign credit rating. However, sections of its population still suffer from high unemployment and poverty. Despite efforts to diversify the economy, diamonds accounted for 75 percent of exports, over 40 percent of GDP, and over 45 percent of government revenue in 2005. Botswana has one of the world's highest HIV/AIDS infection rates, and political turmoil in neighboring Zimbabwe is an ongoing concern.
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The Governments of Botswana and the United States entered into an agreement in July 2000 to establish an International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Gaborone. The academy, jointly financed, managed and staffed by the two nations, provides training to police and government officials from Southern Africa and eventually from across the continent. The academy's permanent campus, in Otse outside of Gaborone, opened March 2003. Over 1,500 law enforcement professionals from Sub-Saharan Africa have received training from ILEA since it began offering classes in 2001.
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Botswana puts a premium on economic and political integration in Southern Africa. It seeks to make SADC a working vehicle for economic development, and promotes efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventative diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good governance. It has welcomed post-apartheid South Africa as a partner in these efforts. Botswana joins the African consensus on most major international matters and is a member of international organisations such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations and the African Union (AU). Botswana is ... a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the U.S. military (as covered under Article 98).
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