Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors, such as South Africa and Namibia. From the vibrant city of Gaborone to the remote villages of the Kalahari, Botswana is a destination that never fails to surprise and inspire. Join us on a journey to discover the many facets of Botswana, and explore why this country is one of the most fascinating and rewarding destinations.
1-5 Interesting Facts About Botswana
1. You can walk from Botswana to Zambia in less than two minutes, thanks to their super short 150-meter land border. So if you’re looking to break a world record for the fastest border crossing, you know where to go.
2. Who knew that all it took to ward off lion attacks was a little bit of creative cow painting? Researchers in Botswana painted giant eyes on cows’ butts (yes, you read that right), and it worked like a charm – lions stopped attacking the eye-butt cows altogether. That’s one way to keep your herd safe!
3. In 1951, the future President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama, was exiled with his wife to the UK for five years due to their interracial marriage.
4. The current President of Botswana, Ian Khama, is the son of former President Sir Seretse Khama.
5. Watch out, folks – witchcraft is apparently alive and well in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital. A whopping 14.5% of the city’s population believes that HIV is spread through witchcraft. We’re not sure what kind of magic spells are involved in this transmission process, but we’re definitely intrigued (and a little scared).
6-10 Awesome Facts About Botswana
6. Botswana’s economic growth over the past few decades is nothing short of impressive. The country went from being one of the poorest in the world in the 1960s, with a GDP per capita of just $70, to have a GDP per capita of $16,000 in the 2010s.
7. There is a town in Botswana called Kanye. It is divided into two parliamentary constituencies, Kanye North and Kanye South.
8. The only place in the world where the borders of four nations converge at a single spot is in Africa, where Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia meet. It’s like a tiny United Nations. But with more lions and elephants.
9. Botswana is the shining star of Africa when it comes to integrity. It boasts the least-corruption in Africa, ranking in proximity to Portugal and South Korea according to Transparency International.
10. The Kalahari Desert covers 70% of Botswana’s land area, but contrary to its name, it is a semi-desert and an important wildlife habitat.
11-15 Fun Facts About Botswana
11. Roughly 40% of Botswana is designated as protected areas for wildlife, such as national parks, reserves, and wildlife management areas.
12. It is home to over 130,000 elephants, making it an ideal location to witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
13. When it comes to religion, Christianity is the dominant religion, with around half of the population practicing this faith, while about one-third follow traditional beliefs.
14. Botswana is also the world’s largest diamond-producing country in terms of value and the second largest in terms of production.
15. Finally, the national currency is the pula, meaning “rain” in the local Setswana language, reflecting the importance of rainfall in a country where it is a rare and highly valued occurrence.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading 15 Interesting Botswana Facts For Kids.
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