Botswana Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central southern Africa.

Area
581,730 sq km (224,607 sq miles).

Population
1.7 million (UN estimate 2006).

Population Density
3.1 per sq km.

Capital
Gaborone.
Population: 208,411 (estimate 2005).

Government
Republic since 1966.

Language
English is the official language. Setswana is the national language, with minorities speaking Kalanga and Sekgalagadi.

Religion
Christianity, Roman Catholic and indigenous beliefs. There are numerous small Zionist and Apostolic churches in rural villages, as well as United Reformed (Congregational and Methodist), Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist and Anglican churches, and predominantly expatriate Muslim, Quaker, Hindu and Bahai congregations in major towns.

Time
GMT + 2.

Electricity
220-240 volts AC, 50Hz. 15- and 13-amp plug sockets are in use. Plugs used are British-style with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade, and South African/Indian-style with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin.

Head of State
President Festus Gontebanye Mogae since 1998.

Telephone
Country code: 267. There are very few public phone boxes.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with few international mobile phone companies. Coverage is average.

Internet
Available in large cities and resorts.

Media
There are claims that there are government limits on ability to broadcast freely on the radio but, overall, Botswana welcomes public debate and freedom of expression, as its constitution dictates. State-run television did not appear until 2000 but radio tends to have more dominance as a medium. Printed media are mostly limited to major cities and towns.


Post
There are post offices in all towns and the larger villages. Airmail service to Europe takes from one to three weeks.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0815-1245 and 1400-1600; Sat 0800-1100.

Press
• The daily newspaper is the Dikgang tsa Gompieno (Botswana Daily News), published in Setswana and English.
• Other English-language newspapers include The Botswana Gazette (weekly), The Botswana Guardian (Sundays), The Midweek Sun and Mmegi (The Reporter) (private, daily).

Radio
• Radio Botswana is state run and broadcasts in both English and Setswana; it also operates commercial Radio Botswana 2.
• Gabz FM and Ya Rona FM are both privately run.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year.
6-9 Apr Easter.
1 May Labor Day.
17 May Ascension Day.
1 Jul Sir Seretse Khama Day.
15-16 Jul President’s Day.
30 Sep Botswana Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2008
1 Jan New Year.
21-24 Mar Easter.
1 May Labor Day/Ascension Day.
1 Jul Sir Seretse Khama Day.
15-16 Jul President’s Day.
30 Sep Botswana Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Contact Information:

Botswana High Commission in the UK
6 Stratford Place, London W1C 1AY, UK
Tel: (020) 7499 0031 or 7647 1000 or (09065) 508 954 (recorded visa information; calls cost £1 per minute).
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Department of Tourism in the UK
c/o Southern Skies Marketing, Old Boundary House, London Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire SL5 0DJ, UK.
Tel: (01344) 298 982.
Website: www.botswanatourism.org.uk

Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in the USA
1531-33 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 244 4990.
Website: www.botswanaembassy.org


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