ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief historical background and a description of major events in Botswana. It also provides basic political, economic, and social data arranged in the following categories: polity, economy, population, purchasing power parities, life expectancy, ethnic groups, capital, political rights, civil liberties, and status. The chapter discusses the progress and decline of political rights and civil liberties in Botswana. Botswana is Africa's longest continuous multiparty democracy; elected governments have ruled the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1966. In October 1999 Botswana held its seventh general elections since independence. Botswana uses a constituency system in which the candidate who polls the highest number of votes in a constituency wins the parliamentary seat. Botswana's courts are generally considered to be fair and free of direct political interference. Botswana has an excellent record in Africa for human rights although there are occasional reports of police misconduct and poor treatment of indigenous Basarwa.
