Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $10,000 in 2005. Tourism has become a significant part of this growth because Botswana is blessed with so many places of tourist interest that it is difficult to know where to start describing the breath taking beauty of the country’s naturalistic spots. Visitors are spoilt for choice when they take a trip to the Southern region, the Eastern and central region, the Kgalagadi region or to the Morami and Okavango region. All these places offer their unique features and awe inspiring beauty. Take the Chobe National Park for instance, which is the second largest national park in Botswana and covers 10,566 square kilometres. The park has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. Its uniqueness is in the abundance of wildlife and the true African nature of the region, offers a safari experience of a lifetime.
Then there are the Tsodilo Hills which rise majestically above the surrounding savannah. The four hills form a line and are referred to by the San people as "The Male" - the largest hill which reaches a height of 410 metres above the surrounding plain; "The Female" - a smaller hill, about 300m, but has an overall area of almost three times that of The Male; and the next in size of 40m is referred to as "The Child" and lies about 2km away from The Female.
Tsodilo is a place of special significance to the San who have been living here for thousands of years. They believe the hills are a resting place for the spirits of the deceased and that their various gods live in caverns within the Female Hill, from where they rule the world. Archaeological studies have revealed that this area has been occupied by humans for at least 100,000 years. There are paintings on all the hills that cover 9 km2 of rock in a 22 km2 area.
Full name: The Republic of Botswana
Population: 1.8 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Gaborone
Area: 581,730 sq km (224,607 sq miles)
Major languages: English (official), Setswana
Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs
Life expectancy: 36 years (men), 37 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Pula = 100 thebe
Main exports: Diamonds, copper, nickel, beef
GNI per capita: US $5,180 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .bw
International dialling code: +267
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