People of Botswana
Botswana enjoys a fully democratic political system, and has done so since gaining independence on 30 September 1966. The country has enjoyed a refreshingly peaceful history, compared with some. Indeed there were no real conflicts, until the 19th Century's Difaqane caused numbers of people to flee South Africa, as Shaka's realm expanded, causing numerous tribal conflicts.
Today Botswana has a total population of just over 2 million people, most of whom are Batswana (Tswana speaking), who originally migrated from the Magaliesberg region of South Africa some 600 years ago. There are also small groups of Bayei, Hambukushu and Basubiya peoples, whose origins are in Central Africa, but today they inhabit the waterways of the Chobe and Okavango.
The Bakalanga have been in Botswana for some thousand years, and then there are there are the Bakalagadi, of Sotho-Tswana origin, and who are related to the Batswana.
Southern Africa's first people, the San, still live in parts of the Kalahari, but their traditional lifestyle is under increasing threat, and very few are still in a position to live the hunter-gatherer life of their ancestors. There are continuing issues between government and the San, regarding access to traditional areas.
Today Botswana has a total population of just over 2 million people, most of whom are Batswana (Tswana speaking), who originally migrated from the Magaliesberg region of South Africa some 600 years ago. There are also small groups of Bayei, Hambukushu and Basubiya peoples, whose origins are in Central Africa, but today they inhabit the waterways of the Chobe and Okavango.
The Bakalanga have been in Botswana for some thousand years, and then there are there are the Bakalagadi, of Sotho-Tswana origin, and who are related to the Batswana.
Southern Africa's first people, the San, still live in parts of the Kalahari, but their traditional lifestyle is under increasing threat, and very few are still in a position to live the hunter-gatherer life of their ancestors. There are continuing issues between government and the San, regarding access to traditional areas.
