Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 600,370 sq km
land area: 585,370 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

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

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: short section of boundary with Namibia is indefinite; quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; recent dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 75%
forest and woodland: 2%
other: 21%

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: overgrazing; desertification; water scarcity
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

NOTE: The information regarding Botswana on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Botswana Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Botswana Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.