Engineers Who Invented Cars

Botswana (Bechuanaland ex)

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Botswana is a southern African countries without access to the sea, surrounded South Africa's south and southeast, Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the northeast. The inhabitants are called Batswana. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland was. Botswana adopted its name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. Its capital is Gaborone. Its economy is mainly linked to its neighbor South Africa, dominated by services (43% share of GNP in 1999), mining (48%), industries (4%) and agriculture (5%).

A little history

Following requests for assistance launched by the Botswana leaders Khama III, Bathoen and Sebele, the British government puts Bechuanaland under his protection March 31, 1885. The northern part of the territory came under direct rule as a protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana forming the current.

In June 1964, Great Britain accepts proposals for the establishment of a democratically elected autonomous government in Botswana. In 1965, the seat of government was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa, to newly established Gaborone. The constitution of 1965 led to early general elections and independence , September 30, 1966.

Some figures

Area: 581,730 sq km
Density: 3.12 inhab / km ²
Land borders: 4,013 km (South Africa 1 840 km, Namibia 1,360 km, Zimbabwe 813 km) Coastline
: 0 km
Elevation Extremes: + 513 m> 1489 m +
Independence: September 30, 1966 (former British protectorate)
Roads: 25,798 km (paved 410 km of which 8) (2005)
Railways: 888 km (2006)
Waterways: 0 km
Number of airports: 85 (including 11 with paved runways) (2007)

Today

Botswana could easily pass for a model of economic success on the African continent. He built his future on a democratic government, stable, competent and not corrupt (Transparency International regularly ranks as the least corrupt country in Africa), prudent management and a basement diamond-rich (which is the third largest producer) and minerals (copper, nickel), but also coal and oil.
In fact, this is the only country in the world could see, during the period 1970-2000, an average annual growth of almost 9% and is also the only country that could have left the group of countries the least developed in 1984.

This theoretical richness, however, is threatened by excessive dependence of the economy vis-à-vis the mining sector and by AIDS epidemic raging in all segments of the population (nearly one in three adults is infected).

To stamp collecting, we note two periods:

The period of the protectorate dominated by programs devoted to the royal family of England (1885-1966)