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Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km,
Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland;
Kalahari Desert in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda
ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds
blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which
can obscure visibility
Environment - current issues: overgrazing; desertification;
limited fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in
eastern part of the country
Geography
Botswana is situated to the north of South Africa. It is bordered
on the north and west by Namibia, on the north and east by Zimbabwe,
and is connected by a narrow strip of land on the northern border
to Zambia. It is made up of almost entirely of a broad, flat, arid
subtropical plateau, though there are hills in the eastern part
of the country. National parks cover 17% of the country and the
Kalahari Desert covers most of Botswana.
Climate
Botswana's climate is sub-tropical and dry. However, due to the
lands altitude and its distance from the oceans, the climate is
more temperate than tropical. Summer from November through March
has very hot days and nights, but rain and thunderstorms are also
frequent and cools off after rain spells. Days are hot while nights
are cooler in autumn (April - June) and it is perhaps the best time
to travel in Botswana. Winter days from July to August are dry,
sunny and hot but the nights are very cold. Spring during the months
of September to November is the hottest time of the year, with very
dry hot days and hot nights.
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