Botswana 🇧🇼 is a fascinating landlocked country located in Southern Africa, part of the Africa region. Officially known as Republic of Botswana, it is home to roughly 2.5 million people and covers an area of about 582,000 square kilometres.
On this page you will find a complete profile of Botswana — its capital Gaborone, its people and languages, the money used there, where it sits on the world map, and plenty of facts worth remembering the next time the country comes up in a quiz.
Botswana on the map
Geographically, Botswana belongs to Southern Africa within Africa. Its territory spans approximately 582,000 km², which makes it the 48th largest country or territory on Earth.
As a landlocked country, Botswana has no direct access to the open ocean, which has shaped its trade routes, cuisine and history in distinctive ways. It shares land borders with Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The capital city is Gaborone, the political and cultural heart of the country and usually the first stop for visitors who want to understand how motswana life really works.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Population and languages of Botswana
Around 2.5 million people live in Botswana, making it the 144th most populous country or territory in the world. A person from Botswana is called a Motswana.
Botswana is multilingual: the languages spoken include English and Tswana. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Beyond the numbers, everyday culture in Botswana — from markets and music to family traditions — is what makes discovering it through a random spin so rewarding.
Practical information about Botswana
The official currency is the Botswana pula (BWP, symbol P). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Botswana is +267. Websites from the country typically use the .bw internet domain.
Quiz tip: the three facts most worth memorising about Botswana are its flag, its capital Gaborone, and its approximate population of 2.5 million.
Neighbouring countries
Botswana shares borders with 4 countries:
Fun facts about Botswana
- Botswana's flag emoji is 🇧🇼 — its two-letter country code is BW and its three-letter code is BWA.
- Botswana covers 582,000 km², ranking 48th in the world by area.
- With about 2.5 million people, Botswana holds the 144th spot in the world population ranking.
- Botswana is a member state of the United Nations.
- Botswana is one of the world's landlocked countries — it has no sea coastline.
Botswana — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Botswana?
- The capital of Botswana is Gaborone.
- What is the population of Botswana?
- Botswana has a population of approximately 2,521,139 people, ranking 144th in the world.
- Where is Botswana located?
- Botswana is located in Southern Africa, part of the Africa region. It is a landlocked country.
- What language is spoken in Botswana?
- The languages spoken in Botswana include English and Tswana.
- What currency is used in Botswana?
- Botswana uses the Botswana pula (BWP).
