Botswana (Republic of Botswana)

Botswana Republic of Botswana
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	129th best
Capital	Gaborone
Land Area	566 730km21
Location	Africa
Population	2.1m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	64.51yrs (2017)3
GNI	$14 663 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	BW, BWA, 725
Internet Domain	.bw6
Currency	Pula (BWP)7
Telephone	+2678

1. Overview
2. Botswana National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

#UK

“Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Blessed with some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth, Botswana is one of the great safari destinations in Africa. There are more elephants in Botswana than any other country on earth, the big cats roam free and there´s everything from endangered African wild dogs to aquatic antelopes, and from rhinos making a comeback to abundant birdlife at every turn. This is also the land of the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert, at once iconic African landscapes and vast stretches of wilderness. Put these landscapes together with the wildlife that inhabits them, and it´s difficult to escape the conclusion that this is wild Africa at its best. Botswana may rank among Africa´s most exclusive destinations – accommodation prices at most lodges are once-in-a-lifetime propositions – but self-drive expeditions are also possible. And whichever way you visit, Botswana is a truly extraordinary place.The ancestors of the San left behind extraordinary records in the form of rock paintings dotted throughout the region. The Tsodilo Hills showcase the pictorial record of this prehistoric culture.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Botswana National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
105	Maldives	105
106	Uzbekistan	105
107	Moldova	107
108	Botswana	108
109	Gabon	109
110	Paraguay	110
111	Egypt	111
112	Turkmenistan	111
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
126	Honduras	50.2
127	Puerto Rico	50.1
128	Micronesia	49.8
129	Botswana	49.6
130	Ghana	49.4
131	Solomon Islands	49.1
132	Comoros	49.0
133	India	49.0
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
47	Solomon Islands	07.0
48	Rwanda	07.0
49	Namibia	07.4
50	Botswana	07.7
51	UAE	07.7
52	Oman	07.8
53	Jordan	08.0
54	Laos	08.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
137	Ghana	3.4
138	Nepal	3.3
139	Bangladesh	3.3
140	Botswana	3.2
141	Spain	3.0
142	Central African Rep.	2.9
143	Angola	2.8
144	France	2.8
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
103	Fiji	2.61
104	Korea, S.	1.38
105	Slovakia	1.36
106	Botswana	2.64
107	Kyrgyzstan	2.64
108	Austria	1.35
109	Egypt	2.65
110	Singapore	1.35
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
72	Macedonia	6.3
73	Namibia	6.3
74	St Lucia	5.9
75	Botswana	5.8
76	Bhutan	5.7
77	Serbia	5.3
78	Samoa	5.0
79	Rwanda	4.5
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
146	Gabon	64.94
147	Rwanda	64.75
148	Ethiopia	64.60
149	Botswana	64.51
150	Eritrea	64.19
151	Yemen	64.05
152	Malawi	63.88
153	Sudan	63.73
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
141	Latvia	2.2m
142	Lesotho	2.2m
143	Macedonia	2.1m
144	Botswana	2.1m
145	Slovenia	2.0m
146	Qatar	1.9m
147	Gambia	1.8m
148	Guinea-Bissau	1.6m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Botswana's population is predicted to rise to 2.344 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.64. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
92	Brazil	0.41
93	Jamaica	0.42
94	Algeria	0.43
95	Botswana	0.44
96	Philippines	0.44
97	Samoa	0.44
98	Bolivia	0.45
99	Suriname	0.45
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
147	Libya	1964
148	Papua New Guinea	1964
149	Lesotho	1965
150	Botswana	1965
151	Tuvalu	1967
152	Kiribati	1967
153	Ecuador	1967
154	Swaziland	1968
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Botswana has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better20
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
89	Burundi	0
90	Burkina Faso	0
91	Brunei	0
92	Botswana	0
93	Syria	0
94	Sierra Leone	0
95	Thailand	0
96	Togo	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₁:

Christian	72.1%
Muslim	0.4%
Hindu	0.3%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	6%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	20.6%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)₂₂.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012), in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Botswana states:

“The constitution and other laws mandate a secular state and protect freedom of religion or belief. However, there are widespread state privileges for Christianity and routine bias against the nonreligious. Government meetings often begin with a Christian prayer₂₃. Even though the constitution prohibits forced religious instruction, forced participation in religious ceremonies, or taking oaths that run counter to an individual's religious beliefs, religious education is part of the curriculum in public schools. This public education emphasizes Christianity₂₃ but also addresses other religious groups in the country, while excluding humanists and other non-theists. Additionally, the constitution provides that every religious community may establish places for religious instruction at the community's expense.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₂₄

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better25
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
143	Angola	23%
144	Ivory Coast	22%
145	Honduras	22%
146	Botswana	21%
147	Libya	21%
148	Zimbabwe	21%
149	Equatorial Guinea	21%
150	Lesotho	21%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio26
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
86	Chile	0.0
87	US Virgin Islands	0.0
88	Mauritius	0.0
89	Botswana	0.0
90	El Salvador	0.0
91	Kenya	0.0
92	Cameroon	0.0
93	Kyrgyzstan	0.0
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
84	Grenada	30.5
85	Trinidad & Tobago	31.5
86	Morocco	31.7
87	Botswana	32.3
88	Romania	34.6
89	Bulgaria	37.7
90	Tajikistan	38.1
91	Vietnam	38.6
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita27
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
131	Guyana	8.1
132	Peru	8.1
133	St Kitts & Nevis	8.2
134	Botswana	8.4
135	Cameroon	8.4
136	Belize	8.5
137	Brazil	8.7
138	Montenegro	8.7
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %28
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
59	Bhutan	95.6
60	Turkey	95.5
61	Malta	95.5
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
64	Cyprus	95.3
65	Switzerland	95.3
66	Israel	95.2
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better29
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
72	Swaziland	427
73	Sudan	428
74	Costa Rica	432
75	Botswana	449
76	Syria	459
77	Djibouti	476
78	Ivory Coast	477
79	Nicaragua	488
	World Avg	819
q=182.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties30
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
116	Jordan	14
117	China	14
118	Mauritius	14
119	Botswana	14
120	Madagascar	14
121	Syria	14
122	Sudan	14
123	Cameroon	14
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank31
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
90	Bahrain	88
91	Jordan	91
92	Cape Verde	92
93	Botswana	93
94	Liberia	94
95	Lesotho	94
96	Kazakhstan	96
97	Ecuador	97
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better32
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
36	France	2160
37	El Salvador	2286
38	Latvia	2289
39	Botswana	2291
40	Papua New Guinea	2297
41	Romania	2305
42	Niger	2308
43	Trinidad & Tobago	2312
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries