Botswana: Fast Facts, Frequently Asked Questions

Botswana Democracy in Action

Democracy has always been important in Botswana and in all villages there is a meeting place where the villagers meet to discuss matters of importance. Known as a Kgotla this is a tribal court and no decisions are made until everyone has had a chance to have their say.

There is no regard to social standing at the Kgotla and each adult member of the community can share their ideas or concerns. Once everyone has said their piece then a decision is taken as to solutions.

Botswana Flag

Many of the flags of Africa reflect red and black to depict Liberation Wars and struggles but Botswana’s flag is predominantly blue to depict peace and harmony in the country. The blue of the flag dominates the top and bottom and the middle has two white stripes embracing a black stripe in the center.

The blue of the flag represents water and rain, which mean prosperity in this mainly arid country and the black represents black Batswana and the white represents white Batswana – and together the flag depicts racial harmony and peace.

Source of the Limpopo

The Limpopo River was made famous as the ‘great, gray greasy’ river of Kipling’s story and journals of early explorers and adventurers recount tales of the river that accesses three countries, forming the border between Botswana and South Africa and then South Africa and Zimbabwe.

What is not generally known is that the Limpopo has its source just south of Gaborone where it is known as the Ngotwane River, changing its name to Limpopo near Parr’s Halt.

The Cutline Grid

There are many very straight roads in the southern parts of Botswana and from the air a number of straight lines can be seen on the ground, some cleared and some seemingly overgrown. These are from the diamond prospecting days when graders were used to clear straight grid lines on the ground for the prospecting.

The diamond corporation De Beers needed a checkered grid to assist in the prospecting and today many of these clearings have been incorporated into the road network, whilst other have been left to grow over.

Botswana’s world records

World’s largest salt pans - the Makgadikadi Pans are the largest salt pans in the world with an area of about 12 000 sq km

World’s largest inland delta - the Okavango delta is the largest inland delta in the world covering about 15 000 km2

World’s shortest border - the border between Botswana and Zambia is at 700m known as the shortest border between two fully independent countries.