Botswana

Botswana is located in central-southern Africa, adjacent to South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola. With a landlocked population of just more than 2 million (July 2010 estimate) and a landmass slightly smaller than Texas, the country, formerly known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate under the British, became an independent nation in 1966. Botswana's mineral resources have helped the country hold influence in global exchange, as it is rich in diamonds, copper, and nickel and has fostered export and trading partnerships as well as tourist relations to increase the nation's wealth and global standing. Cattle raising and subsistence farming are practiced by many residents, though with the Kalahari Desert covering much of Botswana's topography, less than 1% of the land is arable.

English is the official national ...