Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Approximately 70% of its territory is part of the Kalahari Desert. It shares borders with South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. With a small population, just over 2.4 million, spread across a large land area, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. The capital is Gaborone.
Botswana is known for its diverse wildlife and wilderness areas, with a significant portion of its land dedicated to national parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas. Key attractions include the Okavango Delta, an inland water system supporting a variety of birds and mammals, and Chobe National Park, known for its large elephant herds and varied ecosystems. Other notable places are the Moremi Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of Botswana's GDP.
Recent developments in Botswana include economic diversification efforts. The Botswana Economic Transformation Program (BETP) was launched in mid-2025 to promote growth in various sectors. A National Development Plan (NDP 12) was established to prioritize investments in transport, housing, water infrastructure, and non-mining sectors. In January 2025, President Duma Boko unveiled the Kalahari City project, a $20 billion smart city in the Kalahari Desert. However, Botswana's economy faced headwinds in 2025 due to a downturn in the global diamond market, with real GDP estimated to have contracted by around one percent.