Botswana (2004) | Liechtenstein (2003) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 39.2% (male 310,282; female 302,452)
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 424,613; female 452,801) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 30,896; female 40,929) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | 85 (2003 est.) | none (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km |
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Texas | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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 dynamic 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. | The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. |
Birth rate | 24.71 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $3.263 billion
expenditures: $3.283 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Gaborone | Vaduz |
Climate | semiarid; warm winters and hot summers | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
Constitution | March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 | 5 October 1921 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland |
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Currency | pula (BWP) | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | 33.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $392 million (2003) | $0 (2001) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782 |
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459 |
Disputes - international | established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
Economic aid - recipient | $73 million (1995) | none |
Economy - overview | Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $8,800 in 2003. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the expected leveling off in diamond mining production. | Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.564 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 1.183 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 409.8 million kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m |
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
Environment - current issues | overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
Exchange rates | pulas per US dollar - 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999) | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3% |
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | $2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities | diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
Exports - partners | European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) | EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $14.2 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 48.7% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: 40% services: NA% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 7.2% (2003 est.) | 11% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 24 00 E | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
Highways | total: 10,217 km
paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999) |
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries |
Imports | NA (2001) | $917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Imports - partners | Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) | EU, Switzerland |
Independence | 30 September 1966 (from UK) | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.3% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Industries | diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
Infant mortality rate | total: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9.2% (2003 est.) | 1% (2001) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
Labor force | 264,000 formal sector employees (2000) | 29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA | industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km |
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2001) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Setswana | German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held NA October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1 |
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 30.76 years
male: 30.99 years female: 30.53 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 79.25 years
male: 75.63 years female: 82.87 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8% male: 76.9% female: 82.4% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, north of South Africa | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland |
Military branches | Botswana Defense Force (including an Air Wing) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $298.9 million (2003) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.6% (2003) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 381,801 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 202,176 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 20,651 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) |
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility | NA |
Natural resources | diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Seretse Ian KHAMA]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] |
Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 1,561,973
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
33,145 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 47% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.89% (2004 est.) | 0.9% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) |
total: 18.5 km
standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2002) |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15% | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: country code - 267; two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | 142,400 (2002) | 20,072 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 435,000 (2002) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2001) | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | 3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.) | 1.3% (37500) |
Waterways | - | none |