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Country Information Botswana

A short history of Botswana
History The Batswana, a term also used to denote all citizens of Botswana, refers to the country's major ethnic group (the "Tswana" in South Africa), which came into the area from South Africa during the Zulu wars of the early 1880s. Prior to European contact, the Batswana lived as herders and farmers under tribal rule. In the late 19th century, hostilities broke out between the Batswana and Boer settlers from the Transvaal. After appeals by the Batswana for assistance, the British Government in 1885 put "Bechuanaland" under its protection. The northern territory remained under direct administration and is today's Botswana, while the southern territory became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa; the majority of Setswana-speaking people today live in South Africa. Despite South African pressure, inhabitants of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Basuotoland (now Lesotho), and Swaziland in 1909 asked for and received British assurances that they would not be included in the proposed Union of South Africa. An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils representing Africans and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regularized tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council.

Health Warnings

REQUIRED INOCULATIONS: Hepatitis A and cholera for Botswana. If you have travelled from a country where YELLOW FEVER occurs, you will be required to produce an Certificate of Vaccination when entering Botswana.

(Yellow fever only occurs in the north west of Zambia, and northwards into Africa) For Yellow Fever, Cholera and other Vaccinations: Travellers should check with their doctor, district surgeon and Local Botswana Embassy for current inoculation requirements as well as all documentation on all the countries you will be visiting.

CURRENCY AND CLIMATE:

Currency: BWP Climate: Mainly temperate climate. Summer, between October and April, is very hot and combined with the rainy season. Dry and cooler weather exists between May and September with an average temperature of 25C (77). Early mornings and evenings may be cold and frosty in winter. Annual rainfall decreases westwards and southwards.