Welcome to the Virtual Education Wiki ~ Open Education Wiki

Gaborone: Difference between revisions

From Virtual Education Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Main)>Pbacsich
(entry)
 
m (1 revision imported)
 
(No difference)

Latest revision as of 21:12, 1 February 2023


Gaborone is a City located at 24° 39' 29.00" S, 25° 54' 44.00" E. It is located in Botswana.

Map display

Loading map...

Overview

Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 231,626 based on the 2011 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its agglomeration is home to 421,907 inhabitants at the 2011 census.

Gaborone is situated between Kgale and Oodi Hills, on the Notwane River in the south-eastern corner of Botswana, and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the South African border. The city is served by the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. It is an administrative district in its own right, but is the capital of the surrounding South-East District. Locals often refer to the city as Gabs.

Many languages are spoken there, Setswana (Tswana) being the main language. English, iKalanga, and the native language of the Kgalagadi, are also spoken.

Because the city had no tribal affiliation and was close to fresh water, the city was planned to be the capital in the mid-1960s when the Bechuanaland Protectorate became an independent nation. The centre of the city is a long strip of commercial businesses, called the Mall, with a semicircle-shaped area of government offices to the west of the Mall. The city is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and this has created problems with housing and illegal settlements. The city has also dealt with conflicts spilling into the country from Zimbabwe and South Africa during the 1980s.

The city is the government capital as well as the economic capital; the city is headquarters to numerous companies and the Botswana Stock Exchange. Gaborone is also home to the Southern African Development Community (SADC); a Regional Economic Community established in 1992, committed to Regional Integration and poverty eradication within Southern Africa through economic development and ensuring peace and security.