Travel Our World
  • Up-coming Trips
    • Route of the Vikings - 2021
  • Prior Trips
    • Africa - 2020
    • Arabian Adventure - 2020
    • Great Rivers of Europe - 2019
    • South America - 2019
    • 2018 Trips >
      • Northern Italy - 2018
      • South Korea & Japan - 2018
      • Cuba - 2018
    • 2017 Trips >
      • Australia & New Zealand - 2017
      • Maritimes Coastal Wonders - 2017
      • Eastern Canada - 2017
      • Spain & Portugal - 2017
    • 2016 Trips >
      • Ultimate Africa - 2016
      • France's Finest - 2016
      • Discover Scotland - 2016
      • Enchanting Ireland - 2016
    • 2015 Trips >
      • Flavors of Southern Italy & Sicily - 2015
      • Norwegian Coastal Voyage & Lapland - 2015
      • Eastern Europe to the Black Sea - 2015
      • Machu Picchu & Galapagos - 2015
    • 2014 >
      • Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast and Greece - 2014
      • Turkey's Magical Hideaways - 2014
      • Essence of the Elbe: Prague to Berlin - 2014
    • 2013 and earlier >
      • Inside Vietnam - 2013
      • Russia Revealed - 2013
      • Untamed Iceland - 2013
      • Safari Serengeti - 2012
  • Blog
  • About
    • Travel Style
  • Contact
  • Tips & Tools
    • Solo Travel
    • Travel in Uncertain Times
  • FAQ

​Botswana

11/7/2016

 
Picture
A landlocked republic in southern Africa with a population of 2 million people and 6 million cows, Botswana is approximately the size of France.  The vast majority is a sand tableland with an average elevation of about 3,300’.  Two-thirds of the country is Kalahari Desert and the north-central one-third is Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta. 

The earliest inhabitants were the San, or Bushmen, who still wonder the Kalahari Desert today.   If you’ve seen the movie The Gods Must be Crazy you’re familiar with these people, or at least Hollywood’s version of them.

In the late 1800’s Botswana (say Boatswana) was under siege from the Zulus, the Boers from South Africa and Cecil Rhodes from Rhodesia, today’s Zimbabwe.  The Batsana (the people of Botswana) asked to become a British Protectorate.  The British agreed and the relationship held from 1885 until 1966.  Since they were receiving no returns on their investments here, the Brits decided to quit subsidizing the country and granted independence.  There is some irony that a large source of diamonds was discovered here in 1968. 
​
Today Botswana is a relatively rich country by Africa standards. This independent and now wealthy country chose to keep their diamond resources for the people rather than selling it to the diamond industry that dominates South Africa.  Instead they leased rights to mining, keeping 60% of the profits for the people of Botswana and granting 40% to the diamond producers.  The result is a 50 year old country with significant infrastructure – public schools, health care, roads, etc. and one of the fastest growing economies in the world.  It is one of the few African countries to guarantee freedom of speech, press and religion in its constitution.
Diamonds are the backbone of today’s economy with tourism a close second.  The Batswana know their diamonds are a limited resource and they are wisely growing tourism as a sustainable foundation for their economy into the future.

Picture
November 5 Departure Group at Thornybush
Picture
Children flock to Byron
Picture
Jennifer learning to make a basket from palm fronds.

Comments are closed.

    Join Us

    Follow our travels with stories and photos.

    Click to Subscribe


    You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Prefer Facebook Updates?
    click  below



    Categories

    All
    2012 - Safari Serengeti
    2013 Inside Vietnam
    2013 - Inside Vietnam
    2013 - Russia Revealed
    2013 - Untamed Iceland
    2014 - Essence Of The Elbe
    2014 Hidden Gems Of The Dalmatian Coast & Greece
    2014 Turkey And Uzbekistan
    2015-eastern-europe-to-the-back-sea
    2015-italy
    2015-machu-pucchu-and-the-galapagos
    2015-norwegain-coastal-voyage-and-lapland
    2016-france
    2016-scotland-ireland
    2016-ultimate-africa
    2017-australia-new-zealand
    2017-eastern-canada
    2017-spain-and-portugal
    2018 Northern Italy
    2018 South Korea And Japan
    2019 Great Rivers
    2019 South America

    Archives

    February 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    January 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    December 2012

Picture
Travel with the best friends you haven't even met yet
View upcoming events.
Copy them to your calendar.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Stormsignal