Botswana

I

Introduction

Botswana, officially Republic of Botswana, republic in southern Africa, a landlocked country bordered on the north and west by Namibia, on the north-east by Zambia and Zimbabwe, and on the south-east and south by the Republic of South Africa. The total area of Botswana is 581,730 sq km (224,607 sq mi). The capital of Botswana is Gaborone.

II

Land and Resources

Most of Botswana is a plateau, lying at an average height of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level. The Kalahari covers most of the south and west of the country.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The principal river is the Okavango, which flows south-east from the Angolan highlands into north-western Botswana and drains into the Okavango Basin, where it forms a vast marshland, the Okavango Swamp. During the rainy season the flow continues eastwards along the Botletle River to Lake Xau and the Makgadigadi Pan. There are no permanent rivers in the southern part of the country.

B

Climate

Botswana has a semi-arid subtropical climate. The average annual rainfall varies from about 635 mm (25 in) in the north to less than 230 mm (9 in) in the Kalahari, and is concentrated in the summer months (December to April). Rainfall is generally unreliable, and the country is subject to drought. The average summer temperature is 38° C.