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Botswana

A - Z of places…

Women

A woman’s status varies by country and region across Africa. In many parts, women struggle against inequality in laws, education, pay and domestic responsibilities.

Women’s health is also at risk from traditional practices such as early marriage. But with better education, girls can make more informed choices, leading to the greater development of African nations.

Zambia Map

Explore Zambia

Find out about some key places in Zambia, such as Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Games & Sport

Africa is home to arguably the oldest-recorded games and sports. While some are only known through archaeology, modern-day games and sports such as Mancala/Mankala and Nubian wrestling are very much alive today.

Of course, new sports have come along to claim the attention of Africans. You may have heard of one - it's called football.

Gaborone

Botswana's capital city, sited in a flat valley between the Kgale and Oodi hills, was founded in1890 by Gaborone Matlapin, an African chief. Gaborone is the seat of government as well as the country's commercial and administrative heart. Its National Museum houses important collections of traditional crafts and southern African fine art.

Okavango Delta

Okavango, a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels, covers an area of over 17000 sq kms and is the world's largest inland delta. Spreading across its eastern side is the Moremi Game Reserve, boasting prolific populations of wildlife and birds.

Tsodilo Hills

Boasting over 4,500 paintings in an area only 10km square,Tsodilo has been called the ''Louvre of the Desert''. These engravings in the Kalahari Desert chronicle human activities in the region from the Stone Age right through to the 19th century. Life across this time span is recorded on the rocks and overhangs of the Tsodilo Hills, massive quartzite rock formations which rise up from the plains.

Development

‘People are the real wealth of a nation.’ This is the belief of the United Nations, whose Millenium Development Goals provide a framework for improving the lives of millions.

It helps when nations are peaceful, stable and growing economically. But where even the poorest countries focus on health, education and creating fairer societies, more Africans have the chance of a better life.

South Africa Map

Explore South Africa

Explore a map of South Africa. Find out more about the most important places in South Africa

Central Kalahari Game Reserve

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve was originally created as a refuge for the San Bushmen. Due to its remoteness, unforgiving climate and harsh terrain, it was only recently opened to the public. Determined visitors come to see its vast open plains, ancient riverbeds and wildlife, which includes lions, cheetahs and giraffes. Bushmen descendents often act as guides.

Namibia map

Explore Namibia

Find out more about Namibia’s unique conservation areas and the history behind some of its towns and cities.

Climate

Africa is a massive continent, with a range of climates. Some regions are hot and dry, like the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Other parts are wet or covered in tropical rainforest. Conditions also vary by altitude, from the dry salt pans of the Danakil Depression (one of the lowest points on earth) to the snowcaps (at certain times) of the highest mountains. Weather-wise, Africa has it all!

Serowe

Serowe is one of the largest villages in Botswana and birth place for many of Botswana's Presidents. In 1989, a group of Serowe residents had the idea to set up a nature reserve in the nearby Serwe Pan and the land was allocated to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust a few years later.

Health

Africa has a high number of communicable diseases, which place a huge burden on healthcare systems. The vast majority of malaria cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur in Africa; these two diseases currently represent the greatest threats.

With low investment in healthcare and a severe shortage of medical staff, many countries struggle to meet the health needs of their people.

Zimbabwe map

Explore Zimbabwe

Find some of the key cities, sites of interest and national parks on this map of Zimbabwe.

Nata Bird Sanctuary

This community-based project is designed to provide a safe environment for wildlife (predominantly bird life) around the Sua Pan. More than 160 species of birds can be viewed here, including flamingos, pelicans, ducks, geese, ostriches, kingfisher eagles, and spoon bills.

Chobe National Park

Chobe is one of Botswana’s largest parks. It encompasses four different types of natural habitats – Serondela with its lush plains and dense forests in the Chobe River area to the extreme north-east; the Savuti Marsh in the west; the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and the hot dry hinterland in between.

Kalahari

The Kalahari

Birds and animals employ various techniques to survive in the harsh conditions of the Kalahari desert.

Agriculture & Famine

A quarter of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished and famines can impact whole regions.

Land is available to grow more food locally, but investment is needed in  technologies such as irrigation for land to be used effectively. Farmers must also adapt to climate change if they are to feed the continent's rising population.

Poverty

Across the rest of the world, absolute poverty has halved over recent decades, but in Africa it has barely fallen.

About two-fifths of the population of sub-Saharan Africa survive week by week on what someone in the UK earns from just one hour's work on the minimum wage.

Khama Rhino Sanctuary

The Khama Rhino Sanctuary was set up to help protect black and white rhinos which are facing extinction due to poaching and hunting. Over 30 white rhinos now live at the sanctuary and have bred successfully. Other animals which have naturally settled into the reserve include zebra, leopards and hyenas.

History

The first humans are thought to have lived in Africa and powerful African empires formed from the medieval age onwards.

However, today's African nations were shaped by the European powers who colonised this vast continent. Having gained their independence, many African countries are still coming to terms with the legacy left by their colonisers.

Foods

Africa has some of the most distinctive cuisines and flavours in the world. Food varies widely, but there are commonalities across regions. Depending on what's grown locally, dishes are also influenced by the traders, immigrants and rulers who settled across the continent. Arab, Asian and European elements blend in with traditional African cooking.

Geography & Wildlife

With its varied geography and diverse habits, the African continent is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. Though famous for its 'big game' animals, Africa has huge numbers of fish, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and insect species, as well as many tree, plant and flower species.

Matsieng Footprints

Legend tells how Matsieng, the giant, emerged from the centre of the earth through a pool of water, followed by his people and animals. He left his footprints when the earth was new and the rocks still forming. In reality, the footprint engravings were more likely carved by ancestors of the modern San people during the late Stone Age. The site contains many other engravings and three natural rock-holes.

Children

Around one in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa don't live to see their fifth birthday and life can be tough for those who do.

What are the common challenges facing African children and how do their lives compare with those of children in the UK?

Angola map

Explore Angola

Explore the map of Angola and discover more about some of the key places and features of interest.