Botswana is one of Africa's most stable countries and is the continent's longest continuous multi-party democracy. Its a landlocked country in Southern Africa with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the north-east. It is connected to Zambia across the short Zambezi River border by the Kazungula Bridge It is relatively free of corruption and has a good human rights record. Sparsely populated, Botswana protects some of Africa's largest areas of wilderness. Safari-based tourism - tightly-controlled and often upmarket - is an important source of income. Botswana is the world's largest producer of diamonds and the trade has transformed it into a middle-income nation
Facts and Figures
Capital: Gaborone
Population: 2.3 million
Area: 581,730 km2
Major languages English, Setswana
Currency Pula
Source UN, World Bank