Part 94

Area: total area: 600,370 sq km land area: 585,370 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in January 1996 and the parties have agreed to refer the matter to the ICJ

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 75% forest and woodland: 2% other: 21%

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: overgrazing, primarily as a result of the expansion of the cattle population; desertification; limited natural fresh water resources natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People ------

Population: 1,477,630 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 317,254; female 309,617) 15-64 years: 54% (male 374,572; female 419,991) 65 years and over: 4% (male 22,314; female 33,882) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.63% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 33.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 17.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 54.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.01 years male: 44.94 years female: 47.11 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic divisions: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9%