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Places in News: Botswana
Context:
A 2,492-carat raw diamond discovered in Botswana is thought to be the world’s second-largest gem-quality diamond ever found.
- Discovered at the Karowe Diamond Mine, it is only surpassed by the legendary 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905.
About Botswana:
- It is a landlocked country in southern Africa.
- Official Name: Republic of Botswana
- Form of Government: Parliamentary Republic
- Capital: Gaborone
- Official Languages: English (Setswana is the most commonly spoken language).
- Money: Pula
- Location: It is bordered by South Africa to the south and east, by Namibia to the west, and by Zimbabwe to the east.
- The Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta, is situated in the northwest of Botswana and features expansive wetlands and diverse wildlife.
- The north-central region is home to the Makgadikgadi Pans, a vast salt pan.
- The central and western parts of the country are covered by the Kalahari Desert, grasslands, and sandy soils, making them more suitable for livestock rather than agriculture.
- The country is smaller than the state of Texas.
- Landscape: Predominantly covered by savanna grassland, where the baobab tree is prevalent, with some trees reaching ages of 2,000 years.
- Highest Point: Tsodilo Hills (1,489 metres).
- Lowest Point: The junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers (513 metres).
- Major Rivers: Limpopo River, Okavango River, Shashe River, and Molopo River.
- Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver.
- Climate: Temperatures in the country are generally warm to hot.
- All four national parks in Botswana—Chobe, Gemsbok, Makgadikgadi Pans, and Nxai Pan—are managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) headquartered in Gaborone.
