rs
male: 43.52 years
female: 45.55 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.14 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white
1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.8%
male: 80.5%
female: 59.9% (1995 est.)

@Botswana:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former : Bechuanaland

Data code: BC

Government type: parliamentary republic

National capital: Gaborone

Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*;
Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng,
Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Phikwe*, South-East,
Southern

Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law;
judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state : President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July 1980);
Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Sir Ketumile MASIRE (since 13 July
1980); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March 1992); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections : president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year
term; election last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held NA October
1999); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Sir Ketumile MASIRE elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of
Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of
the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
selected by the other 12) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40
members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 appointed by the
majority party; members serve five-year terms)
electio