According to ehistorylib, in 2005, Botswana had a population of 1.7 million people, with the majority being Tswana (79%), followed by Kalanga (11%), Basarwa (3%) and other ethnicities (7%). The economy of Botswana was largely based on mining, agriculture and tourism. In addition to diamond mining, Botswana also had some of the world’s largest copper and nickel deposits. Its economy was relatively strong compared to other countries in Africa due to its prudent management of resources. Botswana’s foreign relations were mainly focused on Africa where it had close ties with its neighbours such as Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. With regards to politics in 2005, Botswana was a democratic republic with a multi-party system. It was known for its commitment to human rights and good governance, which made it one of the most stable countries in Africa at the time. The government at that time was led by President Festus Mogae who believed in the importance of economic growth combined with social justice for all people.
Yearbook 2005
Botswana. According to countryaah, Gaborone is the capital and one of the major cities within the country of Botswana. Botswana’s good reputation as one of Africa’s most open democracies was spotted at the beginning of the year when an Australian professor of political science was ordered to leave the country after facing harsh criticism of the regime. According to the state scientist, Botswana is ruled by an elite who, especially when it comes to electing the president’s successor, makes his decisions behind closed doors and manipulates the state media. The professor appealed the deportation decision but lost in court and was forced to leave Botswana.
- Also see abbreviationfinder.org for how the acronym BC stands for the country of Botswana and other meanings of this two-letter abbreviation.
When the rich G8 countries decided in July to write off debt for the world’s poorest countries, Botswana was not affected as the country’s finances with the help of diamond mining were relatively stable. But President Festus Mogae said that Botswana should still have received the aid because the country is worse affected by HIV/AIDS than any other country in the world; almost 40% of the country’s sexually active adults are infected with HIV. This means high costs, which means that Botswana can no longer allocate resources for development as before. However, at an international AIDS conference in Brazil in July, new figures were presented that showed that Botswana is beginning to gain control over its severe HIV epidemic.
In the fall, some 20 people from the Bush people were prosecuted by basarwa who tried to return to the reserve from which basarwa had previously been forced to relocate. A British-based group, Survival International, which supports indigenous peoples worldwide, accused the government of ethnic cleansing and said the 20 had been driven away with weapons threats and arson, all with the intention of paving the way for the exploitation of diamond deposits. Authorities denied this and instead accused the Bushmen of attacking the police.
Dictionary of History
A southern African state, the Republic of Botswana (in colonial times Bechuanaland, “Beciuania”) is largely occupied by the Kalahari Desert and landlocked. Area originally populated by khoikhoi groups, saw from the 18th century. the settlement of Tswana dynasties (already politically organized in the Transvaal in the 13th-14th century). Theater of Protestant missionary activities in the nineteenth century, it suffered attacks from the Zulu, Sotho and Boers. Some of the Tswana chiefs, especially Khama III of the Bamangwato (c. 1837-1923), repeatedly appealed to the protection of the British who granted it in 1885, in order to contain the expansion of the neighboring Boer republics. The political framework of the British protectorate was dominated in the 20th century. from the royal house of the Khama, in particularTshekedi Khama and then Seretse Khama, who in 1948 was forced to renounce the succession under South African and Rhodesian pressure. Returning to the country in 1956, Seretse Khama triumphed as leader of the moderate Bechuanaland democratic party (BDP) in the first direct elections (1965) and became president of the Republic of the Botswana, independent on September 30, 1966. Despite the extraordinary personal power of Seretse Khama, Botswana remained a parliamentary democracy. Although economically dependent on South Africa (in which, among other things, 4/5 of the Tswana live), the country was particularly active in the anti- apartheid front. The diamond industry sustained considerable economic and social development. On the death of Seretse Khama (1980), he was succeeded by the dolphin, Quett Masire (reconfirmed in 1984, 1989 and 1994). Since 1998 he has held the position of president Festus Mogae, re-elected in 2004. Since 2008 he has become head of the Seretse state Jan Khama. Significant social problems linked to the distribution of wealth and the dramatic spread of AIDS mark the national picture in recent decades.
