Botswana

The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana) is a landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent (within the Commonwealth) in 1966. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. The economy, closely tied to South Africa's, is predominated by mining, especially diamonds, cattle and tourism. The country is named after its largest ethnic group, the Tswana.

Botswana is home to one of the world's great natural phenomena, the tranquil Okavango Delta, a 15,000-sq.-km (5,850-sq.-mile) inland flood plain in the north west of the country. Set in a massive sea of desert sand, this fragile wonderland of waterways, islands, and forests is an oasis for wildlife, drawn to its life-giving waters from the surrounding thirstlands. Here, the evening air is filled with the sounds of birds calling, frogs trilling, and antelope rustling in the reeds. Wildebeest, hartebeest, buffalo, and zebra roam the islands; elephants wade across channels guarded by hippos and crocs; and predators rule the night. One of the most popular areas is the Moremi Game Reserve, situated in the northeastern sector of the delta.
Botswana is a fairly expensive destination, because tourism is limited to the low-volume, high-income end by the Botswanan Government, who understand how sensitive the area is.

Other attractions in Botswana include;-
- Chobe National Park, a 12,000-sq.-km (4,680-sq.-mile) home to some 100,000 elephants.
- the spectacular Makgadikgadi and Nxai pans
Like so many of Africa's wilderness areas, the delta is under threat from human need. A shortage of good grazing on adjacent lands makes the lush grass in the delta a standing temptation to stock farmers, especially in times of drought. The demands of Botswana's diamond-mining industry and the ever-expanding town of Maun (principal jumping-off point for the delta), both thirsty for water, pose an ongoing threat to the delta's precious liquid reserves, as does the proposed dam at Popa Falls, Namibia. All of which means that, if you want to experience the untamed Africa of our ancestors, a trip to Botswana should enjoy the highest priority.