"Flag of Botswana The national flag of Botswana consists of a light blue field cut horizontally in the centre by a black stripe with a thin white frame. Adopted in 1966 to replace the Union Jack, it has been the flag of the Republic of Botswana since the country gained independence that year. It is one of the few African flags that utilizes neither the colours of the Pan-Africanist movement nor the colours of the country's leading political party. In 1885, Bechuanaland became a protectorate of the United Kingdom within its colonial empire. This occurred after the leaders of the"
"Independence Day (Botswana) The Independence Day of Botswana, commonly called Boipuso, is a national holiday observed in Botswana on September 30 of every year. The date celebrates Botswana's Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on September 30, 1966. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, fairs, picnics, concerts, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of Botswana. Independence Day is the National Day of Botswana. The most powerful ruler was King Khama III, who had strong support from the British government, and was"
"1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama was elected as its first president. During his presidency, the country underwent rapid economic and social progress. Seretse Khama was born in 1921 in Serowe, in what was then the Bechuanaland Protectorate. He was the son of Queen Tebogo and Sekgoma Khama II, the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the grandson of Khama III, their king. The name """"Seretse"""" means “the clay that binds"". He was named this to celebrate the recent reconciliation of his father and grandfather; this reconciliation assured Seretse’s own ascension to the throne with his aged"
"protectorate. When Botswana's national flag was created in 1966, it was symbolically designed to contrast with the flag of South Africa, since the latter country was ruled under an apartheid regime. Hence, the black stripe with the white frame came to epitomize the peace and harmony between the people of African and European descent who reside in Botswana. The new flag was first hoisted at midnight on September 30, 1966, the day Botswana became an independent country. The colours of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The light blue represents water—specifically, in its form of rain, as it"
"to patch things up a bit between themselves. By now though, Seretse saw his destiny not as chief of the Bamangwato tribe, but rather as leader of the Botswana Democratic Party and as President of the soon-to-be independent nation of Botswana in 1966. He would remain Botswana's President until his death from pancreatic cancer in 1980. The Three Dikgosi Monument features Khama III along with two other kgosi for their work in establishing Botswana's independence. The Bechuanaland Protectorate maintained its semi-independent status until 1966, when it gained full independence as the Republic of Botswana. The first president, Sir Seretse Khama,"
"1960. In 1963 consultations began for a second constitution which would confer self-government. The 1965 general election was held under this constitution, which was modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy: there was a unicameral legislature; a prime minister and cabinet of five ministers responsible to the legislature; and a purely consultative Ntlo ya Dikgosi. When Botswana achieved full independence on 30 September 1966, the prime minister was replaced by a president elected by the legislature (renamed the National Assembly, and given executive powers. A series of later amendments to the Constitution have increased the number of elected members"
"to halt the annexation attempt. At the end of the South African Wars, the Bechuanaland Protectorate was one of three states which were not incorporated into the 1910 Union of South Africa. It gained its independence in 1966 as the modern state of Botswana. In the 1870s, there were two Griqualands – West and East – both founded by the Griqua people who had moved out of the Cape Colony in the early 19th century due mainly to racial discrimination. The Griqua, a semi-nomadic nation of mixed Khoi Khoi and Boer origins, moved north to lands just north of the"
"elected to the tribal council in 1957. In 1961, Khama returned to the political scene by founding the Bechuanaland Democratic Party. His exile gave him an increased credibility with an independence-minded electorate, and the BDP swept aside its Socialist and Pan-Africanist rivals to dominate the 1965 elections. As Prime Minister of Bechuanaland, Khama continued to push for Botswana's independence while based in the newly established capital of Gaborone. A 1965 constitution delineated a new Botswana government, and on 30 September 1966, Botswana gained its independence. Per the new constitution, Khama automatically became its first President. In 1966, Elizabeth II appointed"
"Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa, to newly established Gaborone in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on 30 September 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to the Ngwato chiefship, was elected as the first president, re-elected twice, and died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Ketumile Masire, who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office"
"of the day off and, in some years, a long weekend to gather with relatives or friends. Decorations (""e.g."", balloons, and clothing) are generally colored blue, white, and black, the colors of Botswana flag. Parades are often held in the morning, before family get-togethers, while fireworks displays occur in the evening after dark at the national stadium. Independence Day (Botswana) The Independence Day of Botswana, commonly called Boipuso, is a national holiday observed in Botswana on September 30 of every year. The date celebrates Botswana's Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on September 30, 1966. Independence Day is commonly"
"Coat of arms of Botswana The coat of arms of Botswana was adopted on 25 January 1966. The centre shield is supported by two zebras. The shape of the shield is that of traditional shields found in Southern Africa. On the top portion of the shield are three cogwheels that represent industry. The three waves symbolize water, and reminds the viewer of the motto of the nation: ""pula"", which means simply ""rain"", but also good luck, and is the name of the nation's currency. This motto also highlights the importance of water to Botswana. The motto is found at the"
"Seretse Khama Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was the first President of Botswana, in office from 1966 to 1980. Born into one of the most powerful African royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, he was educated abroad in neighboring South Africa and in the United Kingdom. He married a British woman, Ruth Williams, which initially was controversial because she was white. She became popular among his people. Khama led his country's independence movement. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in"
"Motsamai Mpho Motsamai Keyecwe Mpho (February 3, 1921 – November 28, 2012) was a Motswana activist and politician. He founded Botswana's first political party in 1960, the Botswana People's Party, then known as the Bechualand People's Party, alongside Klaas Motshidisi, Kgalemang Motsete, and Philip Matante. However, due to conflict within the party, Mpho left and founded the Botswana Independence Party in 1964. He also served as a member of the National Assembly. Some historians believe that Mpho was the first to introduce the term 'Botswana' into formal political vocabulary, replacing the colonialist name of Bechuanaland. He married his wife, Onalepelo"
"and two years later on 5 August 1960, it attained full independence. On 4 August 1984, the name was changed to Burkina Faso. The name Upper Volta indicates that the country contains the upper part of the Volta River. The river is divided into three parts, called the Black Volta, White Volta and Red Volta. Until the end of the 19th century, the history of Upper Volta was dominated by the empire-building Mossi/Mossi Kingdoms, who are believed to have come up to their present location from present-day Northern Ghana. For centuries, the Mossi peasant was both farmer and soldier, and"
"in Basutoland (modern Lesotho), Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe) and Zambia. In 1965 following the independence of Botswana the ""Botswana Police Force"", was formed and in 1971 the first female police constables were recruited. In 1977 in a reversal of earlier policy and in response to growing threats to Botswana's security, the Botswana Defence Force was formed. In 2009 the Botswana police force subsumed the Botswana local police to create the ""Botswana Police Service"". The modern Botswana police service is an armed police service of 8500 officers including 2000 female officers..Botswana Police Service runs a police college near Otse village. The force"
"return in 1956 after the Bamangwato people sent a telegram to Queen Elizabeth II. Seretse renounced his tribal throne, and became a cattle farmer in Serowe. Seretse founded the nationalist Bechuanaland Democratic Party and won the 1965 general election. As prime minister of Bechuanaland, he pushed for independence, which was granted in 1966. Seretse Khama became the first president of independent Botswana, and he became a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Lady Khama was an influential, politically active First Lady during her husband's four consecutive terms as president from 1966 to 1980. Khama and"
"the surcharging of the existing definitive stamps until new ones were issued. Bechuanaland Protectorate The Bechuanaland Protectorate () was a protectorate established on 31 March 1885, by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in southern Africa. It became the Republic of Botswana on 30 September 1966. Scottish missionary John Mackenzie (1835–99), a Congregationalist of the London Missionary Society (LMS), who lived at Shoshong from 1862–76, ""believed that the Ngwato and other African peoples with whom he worked were threatened by Boer freebooters encroaching on their territory from the south."" He campaigned for the establishment of what became the"
"view that ivory tusk represents wild life preservation. Botswana has one of the highest elephant populations in Africa. Coat of arms of Botswana The coat of arms of Botswana was adopted on 25 January 1966. The centre shield is supported by two zebras. The shape of the shield is that of traditional shields found in Southern Africa. On the top portion of the shield are three cogwheels that represent industry. The three waves symbolize water, and reminds the viewer of the motto of the nation: ""pula"", which means simply ""rain"", but also good luck, and is the name of the"
"Fatshe leno la rona """" (meaning ""Our Land"" or ""Blessed be this Noble Land"" in Tswana) is the national anthem of the Republic of Botswana. The music was composed by Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete, who also authored the song's lyrics. It was adopted when the country became independent in 1966. From the late 19th-century until the height of decolonisation during the 1960s, Bechuanaland (as it was then known) was a protectorate of the United Kingdom within its colonial empire. In the run up to independence, proposals for the national symbols for the future country were made. Although the flag and the"
"Botswana–Namibia relations Botswana–Namibia relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Botswana and Namibia. As of 2009, relations were considered friendly, with the two neighboring countries cooperating on economic development. Botswana gained independence from Britain in September 1966. Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence, and the two countries soon after established formal diplomatic relations. Botswana has a high commission in Windhoek. Namibia has a high commission in Gaborone. Both Botswana and Namibia are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has its headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana. The SADC goal"
"self-rule was granted to the Protectorate. Norman-Walker was the last Commissioner of the Protectorate and was there to prepare for the independence, though he had very little to do in his short tenure. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the New Year Honours List of 1966 and he witnessed the independence of the Republic of Botswana on 30 September 1966. After the independence of Botswana, Norman-Walker was posted to the Seychelles in February 1967 to succeed Lord Oxford and Asquith as the Governor and Commander-in-Chief, President of both the Executive"
"the country. Although the Bangwaketse were able to defeat the invading Bakololo in 1826, over time all the major chiefdoms in Botswana were attacked, weakened, and impoverished. The Bakololo and Amandebele raided repeatedly, and took large numbers of cattle, women, and children from the Batswana—most of whom were driven into the desert or sanctuary areas such as hilltops and caves. Only after 1843, when the Amandebele moved into western Zimbabwe, did this threat subside. The republic of Botswana (formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland) is named for the Tswana people. The country's eight major tribes speak Tswana, which is also"
"eight years after Khama's death, his son Ian succeeded Festus Mogae as the fourth President of Botswana; in the 2009 general election he won a landslide victory. That year a younger son, Tshekedi Khama II, was elected as a parliamentarian from Serowe North West. Ian Khama left office in 2018. Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is Botswana's main airport. It was named after Khama and opened in 1984. In 2016, the film ""A United Kingdom"" told the story of the controversies that surrounded Khama's marriage. It starred David Oyelowo as Khama and Rosamund Pike as Ruth Williams. Khama is frequently"
"2004. The presidency passed in 2008 to Ian Khama (son of the first President), who had been serving as Mogae's Vice-President since resigning his position in 1998 as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force to take up this civilian role. A long-running dispute over the northern border with Namibia's Caprivi Strip was the subject of a ruling by the International Court of Justice in December 1999. It ruled that Kasikili Island belongs to Botswana. At Botswana is the world's 48th-largest country. It is similar in size to Madagascar or France. It lies between latitudes 17° and 27°S, and longitudes 20°"
"greater than ever. In 1973, the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) built a ""New Naledi"" across the road from the ""Old Naledi"". Residents from Old Naledi would be moved to New Naledi. However, the demand for housing increased yet again; moreover, the residents who relocated to New Naledi disliked the houses. The problem was solved in 1975 when Sir Seretse Khama, the president of Botswana, rezoned Naledi from an industrial zone to a low-income housing area. On 30 September 1966, Bechuanaland became the eleventh British dependency in Africa to become independent. The first mayor of Gaborone was Reverend Derek Jones. The"
"of African Governance. At the time of independence in 1966, Botswana was one of the poorest countries in the world. A year later, diamonds were discovered and have since become a pillar of the economy. Today, Botswana has one of the highest levels of income in Africa. Between 2009 and 2013, GDP per capita rose from $12,404 to $15,247 (in purchasing power parity dollars, 2011 constant prices), boosted by the global commodity boom. This corresponds to a leap of 23% in GDP per capita over this period. Within the SADC region, only the Seychelles and Mauritius have higher levels of"
"addition to ""Fatshe leno la rona""; the two compositions finished runner-up and winner, respectively. The latter was officially adopted in 1966, the year the country gained independence. One of the first public occasions where the anthem was played was at the flag hoisting ceremony at midnight on 30 September 1966, marking the end of British rule over Botswana. The anthem is normally sung in four part vocal harmony. It is performed at events, both at tribal and at national level. For instance, it is sung before traditional village meetings ""(kgotla""). The lyrics of ""Fatshe leno la rona"" alludes to God"
"1966. He would remain Botswana's President until his death from pancreatic cancer in 1980. Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue; many take advantage"
"Botswana gained independence from the British in 1966, they adapted the colonial administration framework to form its district administration. The policies were modified between 1970 and 1974 to address impediments to rural development. The district administration, a district council, and the Okavango subdistrict council are responsible for local administration. The policies for the administration are framed by the Ministry of Local Government. The major activities of the district council are Tribal Administration, Remote Area Development and Local Governance. The executive powers of the council are vested in a commissioner appointed by the central government. The technical services wing of the"
"and Bathoen I, traveled to Great Britain in 1895 to ask Queen Victoria not to incorporate Botswana into Rhodes's company or other British colonies like Southern Rhodesia or the Cape Colony, and they proved successful. Today, in Gaborone, there is a memorial called the Three Dikgosi Monument in honor of the three chiefs who helped the founding of Bechuanaland and later Botswana. From 1961 to 1965, the city experienced a major drought, killing more than 250.000 head of cattle. In 1965, the capital of the Bechuanaland Protectorate moved from Mafeking to Gaberones. When Botswana gained its independence, Lobatse was the"
"1966 has been freely and fairly contested and has been held on schedule. The country's small white minority and other minorities participate freely in the political process. There are two main rival parties and a number of smaller parties. General elections are held at least every five years. The Economist Intelligence Unit has rated Botswana as a ""flawed democracy"" in 2016. The National Assembly has 57 elected and 4 appointed members; it is expanded following each census (every 10 years). After elections, the party that wins the majority elects the State President. The President then appoints the Vice President, but"
"the African Union. Botswana is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). Botswana has a small number of diplomatic missions abroad. Botswana has been a Commonwealth republic since independence in 1966. Foreign relations of Botswana Botswana has put a premium on economic and political integration in southern Africa. It has sought to make the Southern African Development Community (SADC) a working vehicle for economic development, and it has promoted efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventative diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good"
"to carry mail and parcels. The postal department that the missionaries established in the late 19th Century evolved into the Bechuanaland Protectorate Postal Services. At Botswana's independence in 1966, it rebranded into the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. At that time the services offered included the Post Office Savings Bank. In 1980, the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation was spun off as an independent parastatal. Two years later, Botswana Savings Bank was also spun off as an independent institution. Finally the BotswanaPost became a separate entity in 1989. Botswana Savings Bank has an agreement with BotswanaPost, to offer banking services through the"