Botswana Geography 1997

Location Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates 22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
total: 4,013 km
border countries : Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km

Coastline 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims none (landlocked)

Climate semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes
lowest point : junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m

Natural resources diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Land use
arable land : 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 6% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carryingsand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility

Environment - current issues overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Lawof the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

NOTE: The information regarding Botswana on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Botswana Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Botswana Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.