BOTSWANA
Geography and Landscape
Geography and Landscape
| Basic information | |
| Official language | English |
| Capital | Gaborone |
| Area | 581.730 km² |
| Population | 2,397,241 (2021) |
| Currency | pula (BWP) |
| Web | .bw |
| Code. | BWN |
| Tel. | +276 |
Geography and Landscape
Geography
Botswana is located in southern Africa north of South Africa. Botswana is bordered to the south and southeast by South Africa, to the northeast by Zambia, to the east by Zimbabwe and to the north and west by Namibia.
Botswana Satellite ImagePhoto: Public domain
The area of Botswana is almost 600,000 square kilometers.
Landscape
Botswana LandscapePhoto: Winfried Bruenken CC 2.5 Generic no changes made
Much of the country is made up of the Kalahari Desert and the remains of a former desert. The landscape is very varied, ranging from the huge oasis called Okavango Delta to plains in the east and rocky concentrations in Tsodilo. A single river still meanders through the land. The best known are the Chobe River in the northwest and the Okavango River.
Climate and Weather
Botswana SunrisePhoto: Joachim Huber CC 2.0 Generic no changes made
Botswana has a desert-like climate. The winter (May to July) is cold and dry. Especially at night and early in the morning the temperatures drop considerably. In the summer (September to April) it is hot. Then Botswana has a lot of rain and thunderstorms. Both the days and the nights are very hot, above forty degrees. The best time to travel is just before the rainy season, so in the months of June to August.
Plants and Animals
Plants
Welwitschia BotswanaPhoto: Franzfoto CC 3.0 Unported no changes made
The natural distribution of vegetation in Botswana is strongly related to the pattern of rainfall. Most of the land consists of savannas: Shrubs (southwest) and trees and grass savannas (others) grow there
Small parts of Botswana are forested. Acacias and mopanes are the most common tree species. Real forests can only be found in the north, along the banks of the Chobe River.
Common shrubs and trees are: acacia, almond, monkey bread, euphorbia, palm, teak and welwitschia.
Animals
Lions BotswanaPhoto: Fortherock CC 2.0 Generic no changes made
Botswana is known for its great diversity of animals. Most African game species can be found there, along with other animal species that are native to the country. Compared to the rest of Africa, Botswana has remained well protected from poachers. According to statistics, the country has 164 mammal species, 157 reptile species, eighty fish, 550 bird species, and countless insects.
Well-known animal species are: monkey, antelope, giraffe, lion, rhino, hippo, elephant and panther.
Sources
Elmar Landeninformatie
CIA - World Factbook
BBC - Country Profiles
Copyright: Team The World of Info