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Country name:
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conventional long form:
Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic
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Capital of Botswana:
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name: Gaborone
geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative
divisions in Botswana:
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9 districts and 5 town
councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi,
Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
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Independence:
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30 September 1966 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day (Botswana
Day), 30 September (1966) |
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Constitution:
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March 1965, effective 30
September 1966 |
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Legal system in
Botswana:
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based on Roman-Dutch law and
local customary law; judicial review limited to matters
of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
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Suffrage in Botswana:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch in
Botswana:
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chief of state:
President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998); Vice
President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE
(since 1 April 1998); Vice President Seretse Khama Ian
KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president indirectly elected for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009);
vice president appointed by the president
election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%
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Legislative branch in
Botswana:
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bicameral Parliament
consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory
15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of
the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent
members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected
subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12
members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members
are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by
the majority party, and 2, the President and
Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held
30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - BDP
51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party -
BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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High Court; Court of Appeal;
Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) |
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Political parties and
leaders in Botswana:
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Botswana Alliance Movement
or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress
Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Democratic
Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front
or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP;
MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front
or NDF
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in
1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any
parliamentary seats - includes the United Action Party
[Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence Freedom
Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive
Union [D. K. KWELE] |
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Political pressure
groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International
organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic
representation in the US from Botswana:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 |
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Diplomatic
representation from the US to Botswana:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90,
Gaborone
telephone: [267] 395-3982
FAX: [267] 395-6947 |
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Flag description:
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light blue with a horizontal
white-edged black stripe in the center |
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Facts
on Government and President of Botswana