Welcome to Botswana!

On 30th September 1966, the country declared independence in the Commonwealth. Its economy is very closely linked to South Africa's and is one of Africa's strongest. The service sector dominates the economy, which is growing at a healthy pace. However, it was diamond mining that really put Botswana on the map in its early days and helped it build a strong foundation. Today, mining, tourism, manufacturing and industry are all big contributors to the economy.

Much of the country is flat land, with low sloping hills in parts and tablelands strewn with rocks in some others. Botswana's highest point is in the Tsodilo Hills and is at 1489 m. The climate of the country is semi-arid but despite the harsh conditions, the Kalahari Desert here has a lot of bush fauna and flora.

Many of the locals make their living off the land, whether it is from mining, cattle rearing or agriculture. Some of the resources mined here are copper, salt, nickel, soda ash, iron ore, coal, silver, potash and, of course, diamonds. Rearing sheep, goat and cattle is a popular enterprise for many. Farmers usually grow crops like maize, beans, peanuts, sorghum and cotton seed - all dry land crops. Another big contributor to the economy is beef exporting. Botswana's exports of the meat to Europe are the 2nd largest income generator. Tourism, though, is slated to soon overtake this industry as the government aims to diversify the economy.

Botswana has a democratically elected government with multiple parties competing for power. The country has well established legislative, judicial and executive branches. The parliament consists of the National Assembly and the House of Chiefs.

Batswana or the local people here come from multiple ethnic groups including the Baherero, Babirwa, Bakgalagadi, Basarwa, Bayeyi, Bangwaketse, Barolong, Batswapong, Bakalanga, Batawana, Bakwena, Bakgatla and Bangwato.

Until 1965 the country was a British Protectorate and this has meant English is spoken widely and is still Botswana's official language. The national language though is Setswana (or Tswana) and its dialects, and over the years, it has found increased usage in business as well as government.

If you're a connoisseur of the arts, then try and time your visit so you're here for the annual performing arts festival, The Maitisong Festival. During this time outdoor performances of music, dance and theatre are held for everyone to enjoy at no cost at all! Venues are set up across Gaborone and a classical music performance may be followed up by more modern art forms - variety is the order of the day. The festival is also a splendid time to watch local choir performances, solo singing and marimba music. During the intermissions between performances, too, prepare to be enthralled by impromptu performances by comics, dancers and musicians. There are also indoor programmes on offer at places like the Anglican Church and National Museum. These events are ticketed, but feature larger acts and bigger names from across Africa. Stalls serving up lots of food and drink help keep the buzz going.

For 3 days in August each year dance groups from different parts of western Botswana and the Ghanzi district converge in D'Kar at the Kuru Development Trust for the Kuru Festival. Games and traditional dances make this a colourful event while musicians help create an atmosphere that make you want to stand up and join in. These traditional musicians bring alive the sounds of the Kalahari of yesteryear and watching a performance here is like taking a journey back in time.

Setswana song and dance, the daily life of the people, their thatched roof homes and the village landscape are all worth spending time exploring. Take time off from your safaris to visit a village and see the cattle rearing farms, the dikgotla or meeting places, and try and learn more about local religion and ancestral gods to truly understand the pulse of the people of this wondrous nation. You'll soon see there is so much more to Botswana than just the game drives!