Botswana
Updated: Oct 3, 2022
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Country Name
Botswana or the Republic of Botswana.
Location
Botswana is bordered to the north by Zimbabwe, to the northeast by Zambia, to the west by Namibia, and South Africa by the south and southeast.
Capital
Gaborone.
Reason for naming the country
It's referred to as the country's main ethnic group (called "Tswana" in southern Africa).
Flag
The Botswana flag was adopted on September 30, 1966, after gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Botswana is among a limited number of countries that did not include red, green, and yellow colors on its flag, which are the colors of the Pan-African movement that tried to unite the people of Africa. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of varying thicknesses Blue, Black, and white colors. Thick light blue bands are placed at the top and bottom of the flag, followed by a thin white stripe, and a black bar in the center. Light blue symbolizes water, especially rainwater. Black and white colors symbolize accord and collaboration amongst the people of diverse races and cultures living in Botswana and also symbolize the stripes of a zebra, which is considered a symbol of natural abundance and is Botswana's national animal.
Language
The official language of Botswana is English although Setswana is widely spoken across the country. Other languages spoken in Botswana include Kalanga (sekalanga), Sarwa (sesarwa), Ndebele, Kgalagadi, Tswapong, Xóõ, Yeyi, and, Afrikaans.
Religion
The majority of the population is Christian, 62% of the total population, and 5% of Roman Catholic Christians. There is a minority of Muslims 0.3%, and Hinduism is also found at 0.15%.
Currency
Pula Botswana (BWP).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT.
Government Regime
A unitary dominant-party parliamentary constitutional republic
Climate
Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months. Rainfall tends to be erratic, unpredictable, and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometers away there is no rain at all.
International Phone Code
+267
Internet Code
.bw