All about...#16 - Botswana

In simple words, Botswana is a dry, landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is known for its Diamond industry and its unique Okavango delta. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let's group it into categories:

- Political

- Physical

- Demography

- Fun facts

Botswana is big, but not densely populated. The largest city and capital are Gaborone, with over 10% of the population of the entire country! Other cities include Francistown and Molepolole.

Hard to believe but Botswana has the oldest democracy of any country in Africa. It if fully democratic and it has a president. The main party is the Botswana Democratic Party.

Recently, Botswana has been in the headlines because of HIV/AIDS, but it helps that they are part of the African Union, Commonwealth, and the United Nations. Today, Botswana, with its president (Mokgweetsi Masisi) is looking to move forward!

As explained before, Botswana is a pretty big country, similar to the size of France. Obviously, the majority of the country is the Kalahari desert - with a semi-arid climate, but in the middle of that, there is the world-famous Okavango delta. But what is it? It is a lush, inland delta that gives wildlife to animals like the gazelle, lion, and other Savannah animals you would find. Botswana has lots of game reserves and national parks which are popular for tourists. However, drought, deforestation, and poaching are problems that the country is trying to face.

Let's talk about ethnic groups first - the Tswana are the largest ethnic group in Botswana today. With the San, Indians, and Kalangas rounding up. Botswana has a surprisingly large white population at 7%.

The official language of Botswana is English; Setswana is also spoken.

77% of the country is Christian. And 20% are affiliated with no religion.