Republic of Botswana

Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa with a total area of 581730 km2 of which 49431 km2 is in the basin. Together with Angola and Namibia it forms part of the riparian states of the Cubango Okavango River Basin. Botswana has an estimated population of just over 2.3 million; of which about 175,631 (2011) reside in the Okavango District forming part of the basin. In the last decade, the national population grew at an average 2.08%. An estimated 32,470 (16,852 males and 15,621 females) formed part of the workforce with the majority being involved in the agriculture sector.

In Botswana, the CORB covers about 15.3 % of the total drainage area of the basin. The region has an average elevation of around 915 m (3,002 ft) above the mean sea level. The vegetation type is predominantly Savannah, with tall grasses, bushes and trees. The annual precipitation is around 650 mm, most of which is received during the summer season from November to May. The Okavango River enters Botswana at the Mohembo and forms the Okavango Delta, a large swamp area comprising various spillways. In periods of higher floods, a spillway exists from this area and flows to the Chobe River in the Zambezi Basin.

Key indicators and Data

Capital city Gaborone

Population (estimate for 2011) 2,024,904

Population density (estimated average) 3.7/km2

Population in the Cubango-Okavango basin (2011) 175,631

Human Development Index (2018) 0.73

GDP (2018 est) 18.62 billion US dollars

Economic Growth Rate (est. 2019) 3.8%

US$ 6,013 (PPP-per capita)

Economic Growth Rate (est. 2019) 0.9 %

Neighbouring countries Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Area of land in the Cubango-Okavango River basin 49431 km2

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Photo Credit: Kostatin Luchansky, National Geographic, Okavango Wilderness Project.