Names: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland

Capital City: Gaborone

Population: 1,639,833 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $11,400 (2006 est.)

Currency: pula (BWP)

Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Total Area: total: 600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km slightly smaller than Texas

Region: Africa

Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles

Agriculture: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver

Labor Force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004)
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Exports: $4.836 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Imports: $3.034 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products

Overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $11,200 in 2006. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $255,334 in goods to Botswana. This ranks Botswana 145^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Botswana increased from the previous year by $184,190 a change of 258.90%. State exports to Botswana have increased over the last 5 years by $213,265 a change of 506.94%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007 US exports to Botswana.