irths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.41 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.56 years
male: 60.54 years
female: 66.67 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.86 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

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

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 23%
male: 32%
female: 16%

Labor force: 428,000 (1992)
by occupation: 220,000 formal sector employees, most others are
engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1992 est.);
14,300 are employed in various mines in South Africa (March 1992)

@Botswana:Government

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

Digraph: BC

Type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Gaborone

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Central, Chobe, Ghanzi,
Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Ngamiland, North-East, South-East,
Southern; in addition, there are 4 town councils - Francistown,
Gaborone, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe

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 and head of government: President Sir Ketumile MASIRE
(since 13 July 1980); Vice President Festus MOGAE (since 9 March
1992); election last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held October
1999); results - President Sir Ketumile MASIRE was reelected by the
National Assembly
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
House of Chiefs: is a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of
chiefs of the 8 principal tribes, 4 elected subchiefs, and 3 members
selected by the other 12
National Assembly: elections last held 15 October