Conventional Long Form of Country's Name:
Republic of Botswana Capital City: Gaborone Type of Government: Parliamentary Republic Date of Independence: September 30, 1966 National Holiday: Independence Day- September 30 Chief of State: President Seretse Khama Ian Khama Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe Head of Government: President Seretse Khama Ian Khama Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe Description of Executive Branch: cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president. elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014); vice president appointed by the president. election results: Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA Description of Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 35-member body with 8 ex-officio members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 27 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, of which 22 are indirectly elected with the remaining 5 appointed by the President) and the National Assembly (63 seats; 57 members directly elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held on 16 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party -BDP 53.3%, BNF 21.9%, BCP 19.2%, 2.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - BDP 45, BNF 6, BCP 4, BAM 1, other 1 |
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Description of Judicial Branch
High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) Sufferage 18 years of age, universal Their Ambassador to U.S. Tabelelo Mazile Seretse Location of Their Embassy in U.S. 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC Locations of Their Consulates in the U.S. none U.S. Ambassador to Them Michelle D. Gavin Location of U.S. Embassy There Embassy Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone Locations of U.S. Consulants There none Name of Their Representative to UN Legwaila Joseph Manson Legwaila National Symbol zebra 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 |