Botswana

American  

[bot-swah-nuh] / bɒtˈswɑ nə /

noun

1. a republic in southern Africa: formerly a British protectorate; gained independence 1966; member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 275,000 sq. mi. (712,250 sq. km). Gaborone.

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Botswana British  

/ bɒt-, bʊtˈswɑːnə, bʊˈtʃwɑːnə /

noun

1. a republic in southern Africa: established as the British protectorate of Bechuanaland in 1885 as a defence against the Boers; became an independent state within the Commonwealth in 1966; consists mostly of a plateau averaging 1000 m (3300 ft), with the extensive Okavango swamps in the northwest and the Kalahari Desert in the southwest. Languages: English and Tswana. Religion: animist majority. Currency: pula. Capital: Gaborone. Pop: 2 127 825 (2013 est). Area: about 570 000 sq km (220 000 sq miles)

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Botswana Cultural  

1. Republic in south-central Africa, bordered on the south by South Africa, the west by Namibia, the north by Angola and Zambia, and the northeast by Zimbabwe; formerly called Bechuanaland. The capital and largest city is Gaborone.

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Discover More

Botswana became independent from British control in the 1960s.

Example Sentences

The trend has spread to other African countries and has become so pervasive that it has drawn the concern of central banks in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Botswana and Namibia.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Botswana, a country that is 70-percent desert, was lifted out of poverty after diamonds were discovered in the 1960s.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

Ellis was flown to locations like Botswana, Norway and Papua New Guinea so crews could prepare shots and lighting before Smith's arrival, to make the best use of the actor's time.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026

Sadio Mane's Senegal, African champions in 2022, defeated Benin 3-0 in Tangier to top Group D on goal difference ahead of the Leopards, who won by the same margin against Botswana in Rabat.

From Barron's • Dec. 30, 2025

Two women spoke about their donations to a wonderful charity in Malawi that built wells, a wonderful orphanage in Botswana, a wonderful microfinance cooperative in Kenya.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie