Botswana

American  

[bot-swah-nuh] / bɒtˈswɑ nə /

noun

1. a republic in southern Africa: formerly a British protectorate; gained independence 1966; member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 275,000 sq. mi. (712,250 sq. km). Gaborone.

---

Botswana British  

/ bɒt-, bʊtˈswɑːnə, bʊˈtʃwɑːnə /

noun

1. a republic in southern Africa: established as the British protectorate of Bechuanaland in 1885 as a defence against the Boers; became an independent state within the Commonwealth in 1966; consists mostly of a plateau averaging 1000 m (3300 ft), with the extensive Okavango swamps in the northwest and the Kalahari Desert in the southwest. Languages: English and Tswana. Religion: animist majority. Currency: pula. Capital: Gaborone. Pop: 2 127 825 (2013 est). Area: about 570 000 sq km (220 000 sq miles)

---

Botswana Cultural  

1. Republic in south-central Africa, bordered on the south by South Africa, the west by Namibia, the north by Angola and Zambia, and the northeast by Zimbabwe; formerly called Bechuanaland. The capital and largest city is Gaborone.

---

Discover More

Botswana became independent from British control in the 1960s.

Example Sentences

Zambia recently suspended taxes on petrol and diesel imports, while Botswana scrapped fuel levies for six months to cushion consumers from price rises.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The disease has also been reported in neighbouring Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe in recent months.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

Botswana is sitting on nearly double its permitted diamond stockpile as weak prices and rising competition from lab‑grown stones curb demand, the government said, warning the glut will weigh on economic growth.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

Ellis was flown to locations like Botswana, Norway and Papua New Guinea so crews could prepare shots and lighting before Smith's arrival, to make the best use of the actor's time.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026

Some were captured, and others retreated into Bech- uanaland — which had become independent Botswana.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela