Geography of Botswana

Location:\nSouthern Africa, north of South Africa\n

Geographic coordinates:\n22 00 S, 24 00 E\n

Map references:\nAfrica\n

Area:\n
total:\n600,370 km²\n
land:\n585,370 km²\n
water:\n15,000 km²\n

Area - comparative:\nslightly smaller than Texas\n

Land boundaries:\n
total:\n4,013 km\n
border countries:\nNamibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km, Zambia 0 km.\n

Coastline:\n0 km (landlocked)\n

Maritime claims:\nnone (landlocked)\n

Climate:\nsemiarid; warm winters and hot summers\n

Terrain:\npredominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest\n

Elevation extremes:\n
lowest point:\njunction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m\n
highest point:\nTsodilo Hills 1,489 m Natural resources:\ndiamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver Land use:\n
arable land: 0.61%\n
permanent crops: 0.01%\n
other: 99.38% (1998 est.) arable land:\n1%\n
permanent crops:\n0%\n
permanent pastures:\n46%\n
forests and woodland:\n47%\n
other:\n6% (1993 est.)\n

Irrigated land:\n10 sq km (1998 est.), 20 km² (1993 est.)\n

Natural hazards:\nperiodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility\n

Environment - current issues:\novergrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources\n

Environment - international agreements:\n
party to:\nBiodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands\n
signed, but not ratified:\nnone of the selected agreements\n

Geography - note:\nlandlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

See also : Botswana

Botswana\nCategory:Botswana