Botswana

## History

**Botswana**, officially the **Republic of Botswana** (Tswana: *Lefatshe la Botswana*), is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens refer to themselves as *Batswana* (singular: *Motswana*). Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966.Since then, it has maintained a strong tradition of stable representative democracy, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections.

## Economy

The Bank of Botswana serves as a central bank in order to develop and maintain the Botswana pula, the country's currency. Since independence, Botswana has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world. Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country. By one estimate, it has the fourth highest gross national income at purchasing power parity in Africa, giving it a standard of living around that of Mexico and Turkey.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Botswana is responsible for promoting business development throughout the country. According to the International Monetary Fund, economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966 to 1999. Botswana has a high level of economic freedom compared to other African countries. The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy, despite consecutive budget deficits in 2002 and 2003, and a negligible level of foreign debt. It earned the highest sovereign credit rating in Africa and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $7 billion in 2005/2006) amounting to almost two and a half years of current imports.

An array of financial institutions populates the country's financial system, with pension funds and commercial banks being the two most important segments by asset size. Banks remain profitable, well-capitalised, and liquid, as a result of growing national resources and high interest rates.

## Military

### Training

U.S. International Military Education and Training funds from the USA remain important to Botswana's officer training programme. Over 50 Botswana officers receive military training in the US each year; by 1999 approximately 85% of the BDF officers are said to have been trained through this arrangement.

### Army

* Ground Forces Command (HQ at Glenn Valley near Gaborone),

* Air Arm (HQ at Thebephatswe Air Base) and
* Defence Logistics Command (HQ at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks (SSKB) in Gaborone).

BDF ground forces consists of the following units:

* 1 Armoured brigade
* 2 Infantry brigades (one armoured reconnaissance regiment, four infantry battalions, one commando unit, two air defence artillery regiments, one engineer regiment and one logistics battalion.)
* 1 Artillery brigade
* 1 Air Defence brigade
* 1 Engineering company
* 1 Signals company

### Equipment

The army's doctrine is to maintain a small tactical, capable and trained force capable of defending itself, and also for rapid deployment anywhere in the continent.

The standard infantry rifle is the Kalashnikov AKM/AK-47. Some units are equipped with 5.56mm selective-fire rifles including the 5.56mm US M-4, M16

### BDF Air Wing

* Thebephatshwa\Molepolole – FBTP
	+ Z.1 Air Transport squad
	+ Z.7 Training squad
	+ Z.10 Air Transport squad
	+ Z.21 Helicopter squad
	+ Z.23 Helicopter squad
	+ Z.28 FGA squad
* Gaborone Sir Seretse Khama international air port – FBSK
	+ VIP Flight
* Francistown – FBFT
	+ Z.3 Air Transport squad
	+ Z.12 Air Transport squad
	+ Z.18 FGA squad

## Foreign relations of Botswana

### Bilateral Relations

Guinea-Bissau

Israel

Namibia

Pakistan

Russia

Samoa

South Africa

South Korea

United Kingdom

United States

Zimbabwe

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