Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It has a landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush animal habitat during seasonal floods. The massive Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilised river valleys and undulating grasslands, is home to numerous animals, including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.
In this article, we share some interesting facts about Botswana, a country that has a diverse and interesting history and a prosperous future.
1. Water is so valued in Botswana that its currency is called the ‘Pula’, which means ‘rain’ or ‘blessing’ in Setswana, the national language.
2. Botswana has experienced the worst drought in 34 years this past year, with temperatures soaring to over 41°C. The recent heavy rains have come as a welcome relief.
3. Botswana is famously known as being one of the four African countries which meet at the eastern end of the Caprivi Strip in Namibia. This is the only place in the world where four countries meet, namely Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
4. Make sure that you have several blank pages in your passport if you plan on combining your stay with Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls, as each country values its sovereignty, and you have to check in and out of the various borders.
5. Nearly 40% of Botswana is made up of national parks and wildlife reserves, which provide plenty of large areas for animals to roam.
6. Botswana is home to the world’s largest concentration of African elephants, of which the highest concentration is found in Chobe National Park.
7. The world’s second-largest gem-quality diamond was discovered in Botswana last year. It is the biggest diamond to be discovered in Botswana and the largest find in more than a century.
8. This year, the country celebrates its 50th year of independence from Britain in 1966. Botswana is Africa’s longest-surviving democracy and has blossomed since independence with a stable and prosperous economy.
9. The current president, Ian Khama, is the son of Botswana’s first president after independence, Sir Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams, who is of British origin. Due to their highly controversial interracial marriage, his parents were exiled to the UK, where he was born in 1953. Their extraordinary love story, which endured despite all the obstacles and outrage, has now been made into a film.
10. Botswana holds several world records, including the world’s largest salt pans, the world’s largest inland delta and the world’s shortest border.
Some of these facts you may already know, and some may be new to you, but we hope we’ve provided you with some insights into the country whose national park you’ll explore during your stay with us.
