Overview
Over half of Botswana is covered by the Kalahari Desert, yet it’s one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The Republic of Botswana may be one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries, but it also happens to be one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Over the years, it has transformed into a middle-income country with a competitive banking system and a growing mineral industry that accounts for about 40 percent of its GDP.
The Kalahari Desert covers about 70 percent of this flat, landlocked country. But this semi-desert supports more wildlife than a true desert — it offers huge tracts of grasslands for grazing after rains. In addition to its vast desert ecosystem, Botswana has deltas, rivers, grasslands, and savannas, making it a stronghold for a significant amount of diverse wildlife. One of the few remaining endangered African wild dog populations and the biggest population of African elephants on the planet both find sanctuary in Botswana. The famous Chobe National Park features four ecosystems with the most abundant wildlife concentration in all of Africa.