Zebra; national colors: light blue, white, black.
Title | "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land) |
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Lyric/music | Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE |
Date of Independence | 30 September 1966 (from the UK) |
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National holiday | Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) |
Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Constitution | |
History | Previous 1960 (pre-independence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 |
Amendments | Proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval in two successive Assembly votes with at least two-thirds majority in the final vote; proposals to amend constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and branches of government, and public services also requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and assent by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2021 |
Citizenship | |
Citizenship by birth | no |
Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana |
Dual citizenship recognized | no |
Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI (since 1 April 2018) |
Head of government | President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI (since 1 April 2018) |
Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president |
Elections/appointments | president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024); vice president appointed by the president |
Election results | President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA, who had served as president since 1 April 2008, stepped down on 1 April 2018 having completed the constitutionally mandated 10-year term limit; upon his retirement, then Vice President MASISI became president; national elections held in 2019 gave MASISI'S BPD 38 seats in the National Assembly, which then selected MASISI as President |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (65 seats; 58 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 5 nominated by the president and indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the rest of the National Assembly, and 2 ex-officio members - the president and vice president of Botswana ; elected members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), an advisory body to the National Assembly, consists of 35 members - 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes, 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs, customary courts, customary law, tribal property, and constitutional amendments |
Elections | Last held on 23 October 2019 (next to be held by October 2024) |
Election results | Percent of vote by party - BDP 52.7%, UDC 35.9%, BPF 4.4%, AP 5.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - BDP 38, UDC 15, BPF 3, AP 1; composition- men 56, women 7, percentage women 11.1% |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament) |
Judge selection and term of office | Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70 |
Subordinate courts | Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Mpho Churchill MOPHUTING (since 18 September 2024) |
Chancery | 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 244-4990 |
FAX | [1] (202) 244-4164 |
Email address and website | [email protected] http://www.botswanaembassy.org/ |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Howard A. VAN VRANKEN (since 24 May 2023) |
Embassy | Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone |
Mailing address | 2170 Gaborone Place, Washington DC 20521-2170 |
Telephone | [267] 395-3982 |
FAX | [267] 318-0232 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://bw.usembassy.gov/ |
National heritage | |
Total World Heritage Sites | 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) |
Selected World Heritage Site locales | Tsodilo Hills (c); Okavango Delta (n) |
Want to know more about Botswana? Check all different factbooks for Botswana below.