rnment cabinet: Cabinet appointed by
the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for
a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election
results: 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 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats,
40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by
the majority party; members serve five-year terms) elections: National
Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October
2004) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%,
other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts
(one in each district)

Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus
MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana
Congress Party or BCP [Otiandisa KOOSQLEDSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement
or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO] note: a number of minor parties joined
forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary
seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu
SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO],
and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kgosi
SEEPAPITSO IV chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John E. LANGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone
[267] 353982 FAX:
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe
in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest
growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from o