Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, has a landscape defined by Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which becomes a lush animal habitat during the seasonal flood. The massive central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilized river valleys and undulating grasslands, is home to numerous animals including giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs. Botswana is bothered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. It connects to Zambia across the short Zambezi river border by Kazungula Bridge. It is one of the sparsely populated countries with about 2.3 million persons and the economy of the Botswana is dominated by mining, cattle and tourism. There are three major ethnic groups in Botswana; Tswana, Kalanga and San. The official language in Botswana is English, although there are other spoken languages which includes Tswana.
TRENDING FASHION IN BOTSWANA
ACCESSORIES IN BOTSWANA
TRIBES IN BOTSWANA AND THEIR FASHION
Tswana
They are the bantu-speaking ethnic group who are native to Southern Africa. They make up approximately 85% of the population of Botswana. They wear a cotton fabric known in Setswana as Leteisi and Sotho as Shweshwe. This fabric is often used in wedding celebrations and other traditional celebrations.
The Barsarwa
They are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa, where they have lived for at least 20,000 years. They are also called San, a term commonly used to refer to a diverse group of hunter-gatherers (bushmen) living in Southern Africa, who share historical and linguistic connections.
TOURIST AND HISTORICAL PLACES IN BOTSWANA
Maun – often used by tourists as a stepping stone for the Okavango Delta, but it has enough about it to merit a few nights stay.
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park – the park stretches from the Boteti River and for this reason supports a vast and diverse ecosystem. The wildlife is particularly varied in the dry season when animals come from miles around to the river for water
Moremi Game Reserve – this reserve was voted best game reserve in African continent 2008.
Gaborone – the largest city in Botswana and also its capital. The large residential areas are supplemented by decent hotels and restaurants. A good place to experience the 21st century vibe Botswana.
Gabane – a village not far from Gaborone, industrious and houses a number of small manufacturers such as glassworks, metal and pottery on the aptly named Pelegano Village Industry.
Francistown – the oldest and second largest in Botswana. It was built on gold mining. The main sights in the town include the Supa Ngwao Museum which documents the life and culture of Kalanga people.
Kasane – it is situated between the four corners of Africa; where Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia meet. It is a great spot to stay for visits to Victoria falls in Zimbabwe or Botswana own Chobe National Park.
Chobe National Park – the third largest game reserve in Botswana, but it has one of the largest concentrations of rare game animals in Africa.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve – a true wilderness that gives an impression that you are exploring Africa alone. It is wild, mysterious and amazingly vast.
Jwaneng – it is a place of small valuable stones, built on the richest diamond mine in the world. The mine also supports the nearby Jwana Game Park.
Gweta – it is mainly used as a stop off for tourists on the way to Muan or Kasane.
Tsodilo Hills – they are UNESCO World Heritage sites and are home to an amazing 4000 cave paintings spread out over 200 locations.
Savuti – it is one of the most popular safari destinations in Botswana due to its prime location in the very corner of the Chobe National Park.
Okavango delta – one of the most inspiring and awe-inspiring wilderness locations in Africa. Safaris and game watching are most popular activities in the park.
MUSIC IN BOTSWANA
There are many folk music traditions in Botswana, but the most eminent ones are dithlaka and Twana. Dithlaka is played collectively by a group whose members blow varying lengths of copper pipe. The broad genre of Tswana music, on the other hand, is usually reliant on stringed instrument such as the segaba, a bowed string instrument, and the setinkane, which looks like mbira. It is predominantly vocal accompanied by clapping of hands.
Musicians in Botswana include:
Zeus
Sasa Klaas
Art work in Botswana
MEALS IN BOTSWANA
Botswana have delicious meals to fill your stomach during your visit; meals like:
Ugali – it is often served with polenta, pap (maize meal) or sorghum meal porridge.
Matemekwane – a seasoned dumpling often stuffed with meat and vegetables, usually crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Porridge or bogobe – a meal made from stirring millet, sorghum or corn in boiling water, while it turns to soft paste.
Morogo– an interesting combination of any three different dark green leafy vegetables.
Mopane worms – caterpillar-like worms typically served in a peanut sauce or tomato stew.
Mogudu – traditional Botswana dish prepared with tripe.
Ugali
Matemekwane
Porridge or bogobe
Morogo
Mopane worms
Mogudu
Samp – a mashed food unique to Botswana.
Lerotse – a popular melon meal unique in Botswana.
Ditloo – a popular snack or ingredient in Botswana. It is an African legume, also known as jubo beans.
Dikgobe – a Botswanan dish made from a combination of beans, peas and samp.
Braai meat – a barbeque meat cooked over hot coals at a fire pit.
Vetkoek – a fried dough bread eaten in Botswana, filled up with a mince or chicken stew.
Samp
Lerotse
Ditloo
Dikgobe
Braai meat
Vetkoek
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND HABITAT PROTECTION IN BOTSWANA
Botswana is a lightly industrialized country with a relatively sparse population. As such air pollution is not perceived to be a major problem at present. Botswana has the largest fraction of land area under formal conservation of any country in the world. The preservation of the large mammal and bird biota, as well as Okavango Delta, and the Chobe area are especially important to the continued growth of the tourism sector. Areas which were formerly very sparsely inhabited and lightly used, due to lack of water, geographic isolation and presence of cattle diseases, are now becoming accessible to cattle raisers due to development of new roads, boreholes and veterinary services.
EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN BOTSWANA
Botswana is considered highly vulnerable to climate variability and change due to its high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources, high levels of poverty, particularly in rural areas and a low adaptive capacity to deal with these expected changes. Climatic and socio-economic environments in semi-arid areas in Botswana make communities vulnerable to food insecurity and unstable livelihoods as well as unstainable agroecological systems, crop failure and unproductive rangelands.
GENDER EQUALITY IN BOTSWANA
Gender equality is central to the success of its overall goal of putting Botswana on economic map. Women’s empowerment in Botswana is improving. The percentage of women with at least some secondary education went from 41% to 85.1% (1990 to 2015). Women are allowed to participate in politics and economic decisions of the country.
Some prominent women in Botswana include:
Bogolo Joy Kenewendo – an economist and politician who served as Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry in Botswana.
Unity Dow – Botswana lawyer and human rights activist who served as a judge.
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi – a Botswana journalist and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Botswana.
Lesego Motsumi – a politician who served as Minister of Health in Botswana.
Bogolo Joy Kenewendo
Unity Dow
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi
Lesego Motsumi
Margaret Nnananyana Nasha – Botswana politician who served as the Speaker of National Assembly.
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Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe – Botswana former politician and diplomat with Botswana Democratic Party. She was Botswana’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
Professor Sheila Dinotshe Tlou – Botswana nurse, specialist in HIV/AIDS and women’s health, and a nursing educator. She also served as Minister of Health.
Botlogile Tshireletso – Botswana politician and legislator who has served as assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
Margaret Nnananyana Nasha
Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe
Professor Sheila Dinotshe Tlou
Botlogile Tshireletso
