| "> | | | | Due to this, it is the only country that has not had |
| Modern History | | | | a civil conflict on the African mainland. |
| Did you know- Present-day Botswana - former | | | | Botswana & the United States |
| Bechuanaland-was a protectorate under the | | | | Did you know- America's leader Bill Clinton paid a |
| United Kingdom from 1886 to 1966, when it | | | | state visit to Gaborone in 1998. He and First Lady |
| became an independent nation within the | | | | Hillary Rodham Clinton came to Botswana on the |
| Commonwealth. In the subsequent decades, | | | | six day of a 12-day journey through Africa. Like |
| inspired by Great Britain and the United States of | | | | many foreign visitors, they visited the Chobe |
| America, Botswana became a democratic society, | | | | National Park, a symbol of Botswana. It was the |
| making it Africa's best democracy. Since the | | | | highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the African |
| 1970s, it is home to some of the world's most | | | | nation in the past century. |
| peaceful societies. No other place in the Third | | | | Human Development |
| World has had a democratic system comparable | | | | Did you know- By 1996, the African country was |
| to Botswana.Contrary to most nations in the | | | | ranked 72nd out of 170 countries and territories in |
| world, the African nation has not had coups d' | | | | the UN' s Human Development Index, ahead of |
| etat, guerrillas, warlords, military dictatorships, and | | | | the Peoples' Republic of China and South Africa. In |
| Marxist revolutions. Until 1990, ironically, this | | | | 1995, it had finished 74. |
| democratic nation had been surrounded by foreign | | | | Minerals |
| dictatorships and war-torn countries. | | | | Did you know- By the mid-1990s, the nation was |
| International Organizations | | | | the world's second-largest producer of diamonds. |
| Did you know- The English-speaking nation | | | | In addition to diamonds, it has sizable mineral |
| became a full member of the United Nations in | | | | deposits of copper, coal, nickel, silver and salt. |
| the 1960s. | | | | The George Washington of Africa |
| Louvre of the Desert | | | | Did you know- Botswana's former Head of State |
| Did you know- The Kalahari desert is home to | | | | Sir Seretse Khama was one of the greatest |
| Tsodilo, one of the unknown wonders on Earth. | | | | African leaders of 20th century. After leading the |
| Due to its abundant cave paintings, Tsodilo is part | | | | country to independence from Britain in the |
| of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2001. | | | | mid-1960s, he and his wife Lady Ruth Khama, a |
| This national wonder contains more than 4,500 | | | | white Englishwoman, set up a "democratic |
| cave paintings, making it the world's highest | | | | revolution", where blacks and whites worked |
| concentration of rock art. | | | | together for a new country without violence. |
| Famous Persons | | | | Khama's legacy has allowed the country to |
| Did you know- Botswana is home to some of | | | | maintain and conserve its liberal democracy in the |
| Africa's most famous persons: Sir Seretse Khama | | | | last decades (unlike several rules in Latin America, |
| (former leader), Gaositwe Chiepe (Minister of | | | | Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe). His policies were |
| Foreign Relations), Mpule Kwelagobe (1999 Miss | | | | much admired outside Africa. Over his rule, |
| Universe), Ruth Khama (ex- First Lady), and | | | | between 1966 and 1980, Botswana's government |
| Kabelo Kgosiemang (athlete). | | | | plan focused on improved education and |
| Economics | | | | employment, as well as healthcare. Due to these |
| Did you know- Since the discovered of diamonds | | | | policies, the English-speaking nation became |
| in Botswana more than 40 years ago, it became | | | | Africa's most developed country in the 1970s and |
| one of Africa's most prosperous republics. During | | | | 1980s. At the same time, the African country |
| the 1970s and 1980s, the former British colony | | | | maintained excellent ties with London and America. |
| boasted one of the world's highest economic | | | | In the latter half of the 20th century, Mr. Khama, |
| growth rates, ahead of Germany, Japan, and the | | | | who was Africa's longest-serving democratic |
| Netherlands. In the mid-1990s, it also had a per | | | | President, was identified with the emerging |
| capita income two times that of most former | | | | generation of democratic leaders on the Planet. |
| Socialists nations in Europe and Central Asia. | | | | Chobe National Park |
| Geography | | | | Did you know- The Chobe National Park is one of |
| Did you know- Botswana is a Southern African | | | | the world's most beautiful national parks. Its |
| nation that borders Zambia, South Africa, | | | | geography is home to a great variety of water |
| Zimbabwe, and Namibia. It is the fourth-largest | | | | birds and mammals animals. |
| country in Southern Africa. With more than 1.5 | | | | United Nations |
| million people and a territory of 600370 square | | | | Did you know- By the mid-1990s, the |
| kilometres, the democratic republic is one of the | | | | English-speaking country was elected as a |
| world's most sparsely populated countries, along | | | | non-permanent member of the United Nations |
| with Mongolia, Namibia, Australia, and Mauritania. | | | | Security Council. |
| Democracy | | | | Mpule Kwelagobe |
| Did you know- Botswana, a landlocked republic | | | | Did you know- After winning the Miss Universe |
| well-know for its notable national parks and | | | | title in Trinidad & Tobago in 1999, Mpule |
| deserts, has the best democratic system in all of | | | | Kwelagobe, Miss Botswana, led her nation's battle |
| Africa. Since then, no other country has done as | | | | against the AIDS epidemic. |
| much as Botswana to preserve its democracy. | | | | |