Facts about Botswana

Here are some interesting facts about Botswana for kids which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

Botswana Fast Facts

Capital: Gaborone
Population: 2.6 million
Location: Southern Africa
Area: 581,730 km²/ 224,610 sq mi
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Independence: 1966

National Day: 30 September
Economy: diamonds, coal, copper, nickel, platinum, gold tourism
Currency: Pula (BWP)
Time zone: UTC+2
Calling code: +267
Internet TLD: .bw

Last updated: 17.03.2026 - Sources: UNFPA, BotswanaTourism

Economy
Food
FAQs

30 Facts about Botswana
Geography

1. Botswana is a country in Southern Africa that borders four countries: Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

2. Botswana is a landlocked country, which means it has no coastline and is surrounded entirely by land. Rivers, rain and groundwater the only sources of freshwater for the whole country.

Map of Botswana

3. The capital city is Gaborone and this is also the largest city of the country housing about half a million people in the metropolitan area.

4. Botswana is a large country, only slightly smaller in size than Madagascar and about the same size as France or the state of Texas/ USA.

5. Botswana is mostly flat with some hills in the eastern parts of the country. About 80% of Botswana's land is covered by the Kalahari Desert, one of the driest places in southern Africa.

6. The Kalahari Desert is a semi-arid desert is a sandy savannah with very little rain. Thus it is not a true desert, as there is some rainfall.

7. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second-largest wildlife reserve in the world. The national park is nearly as big as the country of Denmark!

Zebras in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

8. The Makgadikgadi pans in the country's northeast are among the largest salt flats in the world.

9. Botswana's Okavango Delta is a swamp formed by the Okavango River. This flat inland delta is produced by floods every year in July and August and is one of the largest in the world.

10. The climate of Botswana is semi-arid, there is a rainfall season from November to March, when some rain is expected especially in the northern regions. The northern part of the country gets more rain than the dry south and west.

Okavango Delta

11. The Chobe River in northern Botswana forms the border with Namibia and Zimbabwe. It is famous for supporting Africa's largest concentration of elephants.

12. More than one third of Botswana's total land area is protected as national parks, game reserves, or wildlife management areas.

Facts about Botswana
Population

13. Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. About 2.6 million Tswana people live in Botswana. This is very small for a country that is the size of France or the state of Texas/ USA.

14. Under British rule, Botswana was formerly known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Botswana gained independence from the UK in 1966 and then became a republic. National Day is celebrated on 30 September. (Independence Day).

15. The Tswana people make up the largest ethnic group in the country. A group of people from Botswana is called Batswana, one person is referred to as Motswana.

16. The official language of Botswana is English, however, most people speak Setswana as home language.

Children in Botswana

17. Education is highly valued in Botswana. The government offers free primary education to all children. Literacy rates are among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa and are around 89% as per 2025.

18. Football or soccer is the most popular sport in Botswana. The national team is nicknamed "The Zebras." Cricket, tennis, and athletics are also popular.

19. Botswana has a strong tradition of basket weaving. The patterned baskets woven are inspired by patterns from the local landscape and wildlife.

20. The modern humans are said to have evolved in this region more than 200,000 years ago. The San people, also referred to as "Bushmen" represent one of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth! They have lived in the Kalahari for at least 30,000 years.

21. One of the tradition is the Kgotla, a community assembly, that is central to Botswana's governance. Citizens gather to discuss issues with their chief and this shows a blend of indigenous democracy with modern government.

22. Duma Boko, a social democrat, is the president of Botswana since 2024.

Facts about Botswana
Wildlife

23. Botswana is known for her abundant wildlife and is home to the Big Five game animals including lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and elephants. Amongst many other animals in Botswana are the giant Nile crocodiles, giraffes, antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, monkeys and baboons.

24. Botswana has four national parks. Chobe National Park houses the world's largest population of African elephants! Over 130,000 elephants live there which is about one-third of all elephants on our planet.

Elephants in Chobe National Park

25. The national animal of Botswana is the zebra and the national tree is the marula tree.

Facts about Botswana
Economy

26. Botswana has been classified as an upper-middle-income country by the World Bank. Natural resources and tourism are Botswana's most important industries. The government especially welcomes wealthy eco-tourists.

27. Botswana is the world's leading producer of gem-quality diamonds by value. Diamonds account for around 70–80% of export earnings. Jwaneng Diamond Mine is the world's largest diamond mine. It produces many millions of carats of diamonds each year from an enormous open-pit mine.

28. The currency is called Botswana pula and one pula is divided into 100 thebe. Interestingly, the term pula means 'rain' in English and as rain is scarce in the country is considered a blessing to have.

Botswana currency is called 'pula'

Did you know?

The motto of the country is: Pula! which means 'Let there be rain!'

Facts about Botswana
Food

29. The staple foods in Botswana are maize, sorghum and millet as well as vegetables and fruit such as cowpeas or okra, marula or melons. Meat is eaten often especially beef and chicken as well as mutton.

30. The national dish of Botswana is called seswaa. This is a slow cooked meat stew made over fire that only uses beef, mutton, chicken or lamb and onions and peppers as ingredients.

National dish called Seswaa

Facts about Botswana
FAQs

What is the capital of Botswana?

The capital city of Botswana is Gaborone. It is the country’s largest city and an important centre for business, government and education. Gaborone lies near the border with South Africa.

Which language do they speak in Botswana?

The official language of Botswana is English, which is used in schools and government. Many people also speak Setswana, the national language. Setswana is widely used in daily life and traditional culture.

What is Botswana famous for?

Botswana is famous for its amazing wildlife, especially elephants, and nature reserves. The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s largest inland deltas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The country is also well known for its diamond mining.

How many people live in Botswana?

Botswana has a population of about 2.6 million people. Most people live in towns and villages in the eastern part of the country. Large areas of the country are sparsely populated because of the semi-arid or desert climate.

What is the Kalahari Desert?

Much of Botswana is covered by the Kalahari Desert. It is a sandy savanna with grass, shrubs and wildlife rather than a completely empty desert. Many animals such as lions, meerkats and antelope live there.

Which animals live in Botswana?

Botswana is home to many wild animals including elephants, lions, giraffes and zebras. The Chobe National Park is famous for having one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. Many visitors go on safaris to see wildlife in Botswana.

We hope you enjoyed our Facts about Botswana. We will add more info about this stunning country soon. Now enjoy our other pages with facts about other African countries.

Popular Pages

Africa Facts

Africa Quiz for Kids - by Kids World Travel Guide

Resources
Facts about Botswana

United Nations Populations Fund. "Botswana". UNPFA. Last accessed 17 March 2026
Botswana Tourism Association. "Botswana". Botswana Tourism. Last accessed 17 March 2026
Sarah Vockins. "Xigera - Love Letter to Botswana" RegenerativeTravel. 5 January 2026. Last accessed 17 March 2026