Botswana vs. Namibia
Government
| Botswana | Namibia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland etymology: the name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana" - referring to the country's major ethnic group | conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 38 S, 25 54 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after GABORONE (ca. 1825-1931), a revered kgosi (chief) of the Tlokwa tribe, part of the larger Tswana ethnic group | name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April etymology: may derive from the Afrikaans word "wind-hoek" meaning "windy corner" |
| Administrative divisions | 10 districts and 6 town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, North East, North West, Selebi-Phikwe*, South East, Southern, Sowa Town* | 14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language |
| Independence | 30 September 1966 (from the UK) | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) |
| National holiday | Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) | Independence Day, 21 March (1990) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1960 (preindependence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval in two successive Assembly votes with at least two-thirds majority in the final vote; proposals to amend constitutional provisions on fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and branches of government, and public services also requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and assent by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2016 | history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990 amendments: initiated by the Cabinet; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed; amended 1998, 2010, 2014 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law | mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 October 2014 (next to be held on 31 October 2019); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008) stepped down on 1 April 2018 having completed the constitutionally mandated 10-year term limit; upon his retirement, then Vice President MASISI became president; national elections held on 23 October 2019 gave MASISI'S BPD 38 seats in the National Assembly which then selected MASISI as President | chief of state: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 4 nominated by the president and indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the rest of the National Assembly, and 2 ex-officio members - the president and attorney general; elected members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Chiefs (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), an advisory body to the National Assembly, consists of 35 members - 8 hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes, 22 indirectly elected by the chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president; the House of Chiefs consults on issues including powers of chiefs, customary courts, customary law, tribal property, and constitutional amendments elections: last held on 23 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 52.7%, UDC 35.9%, BPF 4.4%, AP 5.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - BDP 38, UDC 15, BPF 3, AP 1; composition - NA | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 25 November 2020 (next to be held on 25 November 2025) National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1, Independent 1; composition - men 36, women 6, percent of women 16.6% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition - NA |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Court of Appeal, High Court (each consists of a chief justice and a number of other judges as prescribed by the Parliament) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70 subordinate courts: Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative's Court; Headman's Court | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65, but terms can be extended by the president until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance of Progressives or AP [Ndaba GAOLATHE] Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO] Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Mokgweetsi MASISI] Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Sidney PILANE] Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO] Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF [Biggie BUTALE] Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Motlatsi MOLAPISI] Real Alternative Party or RAP [Gaontebale MOKGOSI] Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC [Duma BOKO] (various times the collation has included the BMD, BPP, BCP and BNF) (2019) | All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI] Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME] Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI] National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE] Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO] Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI] Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA] Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE] South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO] South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB] United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB] United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK] Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP (formerly CPN) [MPs Salmon FLEERMUYS and Benson KAAPALA] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Onkokame Kitso MOKAILA (since 17 September 2020) chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 email address and website: info@botswanaembassy.org http://www.botswanaembassy.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta | chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret Natalie MENSAH-WILLIAMS (since 18 January 2021) chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 email address and website: info@namibiaembassyusa.org https://namibiaembassyusa.org/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Craig Lewis CLOUD (since 2 April 2019) embassy: Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone mailing address: 2170 Gabarone Place, Washington DC 20521-2170 telephone: [267] 395-3982 FAX: [267] 318-0232 email address and website: ConsularGabarone@state.gov https://bw.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jessica LONG (since 2 July 2021) embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540 telephone: [264] (061) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (061) 295-8603 email address and website: ConsularWindhoek@state.gov https://na.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center; the blue symbolizes water in the form of rain, while the black and white bands represent racial harmony | a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a golden-yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green; red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rain; the golden-yellow sun denotes power and existence; green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources |
| National anthem | name: "Fatshe leno la rona" (Our Land) lyrics/music: Kgalemang Tumedisco MOTSETE note: adopted 1966 | name: Namibia, Land of the Brave lyrics/music: Axali DOESEB note: adopted 1991 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | zebra; national colors: blue, white, black | oryx (antelope); national colors: blue, red, green, white, yellow |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Botswana dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
