An Introduction to Botswana
A landlocked country of just over two million people, Botswana was a British Protectorate from 1885 until gaining its independence in 1966. At the time it was one of the poorest countries in Africa, with a GDP per capita of about US$70, but since then it has transformed itself, moving into the ranks of middle-income status to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world with an average annual growth rate of about 9 percent and a GDP (P.P.P.) per capita of about $14,800 (2010 IMF estimate). See full country profile.Latest Research News from Africa
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GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary republic
AREA: 581,730 sq km
POPULATION: 2,065,398 (July 2011 est.)
MAJOR LANGUAGE: English, Setswana
Some business and general info
The Market Research Industry
Trade and Industry in Botswana
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A landlocked country of just over two million people, Botswana was a British Protectorate from 1885 until gaining its independence in 1966. At the time it was one of the poorest countries in Africa, with a GDP per capita of about US$70, but since then it has transformed itself, moving into the ranks of middle-income status to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world with an average annual growth rate of about 9 percent and a GDP (P.P.P.) per capita of about $14,800 (2010 IMF estimate).
However, the country's prosperity is unequally divided, with high levels of povert' and generally low human development indicators. While education expenditure is high at 10 percent of GDP, Botswana's workforce still lacks the skills it needs, and its dependence on diamonds, beef and tourism has led to a recent push to diversify its economy.
GDP: $28.49 billion (2010 est.)
Religions Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
Currency: Pula (BWP) - GBP 1 = BWP 10.46
Telephone Code: +267
BBC Country Profile
Lonely Planet Guide
The Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower
MR Association(s):
The Sadec Region (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia) MR industry turned over $9m USD in 2009 - a growth of 0.7% on 2008 (The industry in the region has grown by a steady $1m USD a year from $5m in 2005)
Source: ESOMAR
Since independence in 1966 Botswana has maintained one of the highest economic growth rates in the world - until 2009 when growth turned negative and industry fell away by 30%. That said, Botswana has, through discipline and sound management, transformed itself from one of the poorest nations in the world to a middle-income economy with an emerging middle-class. Botswana is seen as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining accounts for about a third of GDP, up to 80% of export earnings and around half of government revenue.
However, Botswana's reliance on a single luxury export was a critical factor in the economic contraction of 2009. Government figures place unemployment at 7%, although unofficial reports suggest that figure is closer to 40%. Add this to an expected levelling off of diamond production in the next two decades and the fact that Botswana has the second highest level of infection for the AIDS virus in the world, and it's clear that Botswana has some major issues - but the Government has reacted well to the latter, aggressively introducing anti HIV/AIDS drugs and providing them free of charge with the result that infection rates are declining.
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