Gaborone

**Gaborone** is the capital city of Botswana. It has a population of 231,626 people. Gaborone is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. Gaborone is on the Notwane River in the southeastern corner of Botswana. It is  from the South African border.

The main campus of the University of Botswana is in the city. Gaborone's airport, Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, is Botswana's main international airport.

## History

Before 1969, the city was known as **Gaberones**. Gaberones replaced Mafeking as the capital of the Bechuanaland Protectorate in 1965. Mafeking was outside the Bechuanaland Protectorate. It was in an area of South Africa. When the Protectorate became independent, Botswana needed a capital city that was inside the country. It had been thought that Lobatse would be the capital. It was later decided that they would create a new capital next to Gaberones, a small colonial administrative settlement.

The original name, Gaberones, is from Gaborone's Village. It was named after Chief Kgosi Gaborone of the BaTlokwa tribe. His village, now called Tlokweng, was just across a river from the "Government Camp" (colonial government headquarters). "Gabs" is still a common nickname for Gaborone. A newer nickname for Gaborone is G-City.

The centre of the city was constructed in three years. It includes Assembly buildings, government offices, a power station, a hospital, schools, a radio station, a telephone exchange, police stations, a post office, and more than 1,000 houses. Much of the city was in place for Independence Day on September 30 1966, when the county became independent of the United Kingdom. The first mayor of Gaborone was Rev J. D. Jones.  The old Gaberones became a suburb of the new Gaborone, and is now known as "the Village".

## Other websites

- Map of Gaborone

## Infobox (settlement)

- **official name**: Gaborone
- **nicknames**: Gabs, GC, Gabz, G-City, Magheba, Moshate
- **named for**: Kgosi Gaborone
- **settlement type**: City
- **image skyline**: Rail transportation.jpg
- **imagesize**: 300px
- **pushpin map**: Botswana#Africa
- **pushpin relief**: 1
- **map caption**: Location of Gaborone in Botswana
- **subdivision type1**: Districts of Botswana, District
- **subdivision name1**: Gaborone
- **subdivision type2**: Sub-districts of Botswana, Sub-district
- **subdivision name2**: Gaborone
- **government type**: City commission government
- **governing body**: Gaborone City Council
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **leader name**: Kagiso Thutlwe (Botswana National Front)
- **leader title1**: Deputy Mayor
- **leader name1**: Florence Shagwa (Botswana Congress Party, BCP)
- **established title**: Founded
- **established date**: 1964
- **area total km2**: 169
- **population as of**: 2011
- **population total**: 231626
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population metro**: 421907
- **timezone**: Central Africa Time
- **utc offset**: +2
- **timezone dst**: not observed
- **utc offset dst**: +2
- **elevation m**: 1014
- **area code type**: Telephone numbers in Botswana, Geographical area code
- **area code**: 3XX
- **iso code**: BW-SE
- **blank name**: Köppen climate classification, Climate
- **blank info**: Semi-arid climate#Hot semi-arid climates, BSh
- **website**: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120514114903/http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Local-Authorities/Gaborone-City-Council/ Gaborone City Council Website]