Geography & environment — Botswana
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Botswana: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
22 00 S, 24 00 E
- Total Area
224,606 Square Miles 581,730 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
218,814 Square Miles 566,730 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
5,792 Square Miles 15,000 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
2,494 Miles 4,013 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Physical geography
- Terrain
Predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; the Kalahari Desert in southwest
- Highest Point
1,489 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
- Lowest Point
513 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
- Natural Resources
Diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
- Irrigated Land
5 Square Miles 14 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Most of its area is an inhospitable semi-desert known as the Kalahari. Even the most arable sections of eastern Botswana are subject to periodic drought and unpredictable rains. Botswana straddles the Tropic of Capricorn and has an average elevation of 3,300 feet. Daily high temperatures during the hottest month, January, average in the upper 90's to over 100°F. Winter daytime temperatures generally reach 70 degrees, but with little cloud cover and no humidity to hold warmth in the air, they plummet to 30 or 40°F at night.
- Terrain
Predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; the Kalahari Desert in southwest
- Location
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
- Total Area
224,606 Square Miles 581,730 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- Overgrazing
- desertification
- limited freshwater resources
- Environment - International Agreements
- Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed,
- but not ratified: none of the selected agreements