• Overview
• Offices

Office

Off Starlets’ 91 Road, Accra, Ghana.

Mailing Address

P. O. Box 2202, Accra-Ghana

Digital Address

GA -144-3422

Website

http://www.gra.gov.gh/

VISION

To be a world-class revenue administration recognized for professionalism, integrity and excellence.

MISSION

To mobilize revenue for national development in a transparent, fair, effective and efficient manner.

CORE VALUES

• Integrity - be fair and honest
• Fairness - provide consistent and standardised service
• Service - provide timely and accurate responses when dealing with our customers using channels of their choice
• Teamwork - work together to achieve our goals
• Innovation - build a culture that readily adapts to change in the Operating environment
• Professionalism - apply the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to meet stakeholder expectations

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was established in 2009 as a merger of the three revenue agencies, the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Value Added Tax Service (VATS) and the Revenue Agencies Governing Board (RAGB) in accordance with the Ghana Revenue Authority Act 2009, (Act 791).

Our core mandate is to ensure maximum compliance with all relevant laws in order to ensure a sustainable revenue stream for government, trade facilitation and a controlled and safe flow of goods across the country’s borders.

The Authority is headed by the Commissioner-General, with support from three (3) Commissioners in charge of the following divisions;

Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD)

Customs Division (CD)

Support Services Division (SSD)

• Overview
• Offices

Office

Gamel Abdul Nasser Ave, Accra.

Mailing Address

Gamel Abdul Nasser Ave, Accra

Digital Address

GA-143-0235

Website

http://passport.mfa.gov.gh

The Passport Office is responsible for the issue of passports and other travel documents to Ghanaians whose applications have been approved. The office also provides files and documents in respect of passports under investigation by Interpol, the National Intelligence Bureau and the Police.

Embassies and High Commissions accredited to Ghana also request this office for confirmation of the personal details of Ghanaians who apply to these Missions for visas.

• Overview
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Offices

Office

Independence Avenue, Accra-Ghana.

Mailing Address

P.M.B. Ministries, Accra.

Digital Address

GA-110-4188

Website

http://www.gis.gov.gh/

OBJECTIVE

• To ensure the effective administration and management of migration in the country; and
• Contribute to national security.

FUNCTIONS OF THE SERVICE

The Service shall:

• a) Subject to existing laws, examine travel document of persons entering or leaving the country through the borders;
• b) Ensure the application and enforcement of laws relating to the immigration and employment of non-Ghanaians in the country;
• c) Advise on and implement international co-operation agreements with other countries and international organisations on matters relating to migration;
• d) Manage and patrol the borders of the country;
• e) Through the Comptroller - General or the duly authorised representative of the Comptroller - General issue visas for entry into the country and permits for residence or work in the country.
• f) perform any other functions as required by law;
• The Comptroller - General shall act in consultation with the Minister in the performance of the function specified in (1)(e).

 Government Unitary 

• President

John Mahama

• Vice-President

Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang

• Speaker of Parliament

Alban Bagbin

• Chief Justice

Gertrude Tokornoo                                                                            • Total

240,000[4] km2 (93,000 sq mi) (80th)

• Water (%)

4.61 (11,000 km2; 4,247 mi2)Population

• 2024 estimate

34,612,532 (46th)

• Census

30,832,019

• Density

151/km2 (391.1/sq mi) (90th)GDP (PPP)2023 estimate

• Total

$227.189 billion[4] (68th)

• Per capita

$6,905[4] (136th)GDP (nominal)2023 estimate

• Total

$80.577 billion[4] (83rd)

• Per capita

$2,328[4] (149th) .

Short Visit Visas allow traveler's to visit Nigeria for a period not exceeding three months (90 days) for the purpose of visit, tourism, business meeting, conference, seminar, contract negotiation, marketing, sales, purchase, distribution of Nigerian goods, Trade Fairs, job interview, sports, entertainment, study tour, academic exchange program, humanitarian services, relief/emergency works, and temporary work permits. However, all short visit visa available on e-Visa Classes are not extendable.

Issued to non-accredited diplomats entering Nigeria for official business on a short-term basis. Applicants must hold a valid diplomatic or official passport with a supporting note from their country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It allows a stay of up to 90 days and permits attendance at meetings, conferences, and seminars, without the option to work or extend beyond this period.

Allows a 30-day stay for business-related activities such as meetings, conferences, contract negotiations, trade fairs, and job interviews. Applicants need a valid passport, invitation letter from a Nigerian company (with CAC certificate), proof of accommodation, and a return ticket. This visa is single-entry, non-extendable, and doesn’t permit direct employment in Nigeria.

Click to APPLY
 

In 2018, Nigeria's primary energy consumption was about 155 Mtoe. Most of the energy comes from traditional biomass and waste, which accounted for 73.5% of total primary consumption in 2018. The rest is from fossil fuels (26.4%) and hydropower.

Coal, petroleum reserves, natural gas, peat, hydroelectricity, solar and wind are major energy resources in Nigeria and the country remains a top producer of crude oil and natural gas in Africa. Its production in 2022 averaged 1.2 million barrels of oil per day (bopd),[6] and 300 barrels per day (bpd) of condensate, making it the biggest oil producer on the continent. Nigeria has oil reserves of about 37 billion barrels and gas reserves of about 206 Tcf, ranking 10th and 8th in the world, respectively, and giving it plenty of room to further grow its hydrocarbons industry. However, Nigeria is also a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and is frequently subject to production quotas.

According to BMC, "Nigeria is Africa's energy giant. It is the continent's most prolific oil-producing country, which, along with Libya, accounts for two-thirds of Africa's crude oil reserves. It ranks second to Algeria in natural gas. Most of Africa's bitumen and lignite reserves are found in Nigeria. In its mix of conventional energy reserves, Nigeria is simply unmatched by any other country on the African continent. 

Since 2004 Nigeria has a Chinese-origin research reactor at Ahmadu Bello University, and has sought the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency to develop plans for up to 4,000 MWe of nuclear capacity by 2027 according to the National Program for the Deployment of Nuclear Power for Generation of Electricity.Nigeria hoped to begin construction in 2011 and start nuclear power production in 2017–2020. On 27 July 2007 Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua has urged the country to embrace nuclear power in order to meet its growing energy needs. Construction has not begun but plans have not been canceled by 2016.

In April 2015, Nigeria began talks with Russia's state-owned Rosatom to collaborate on the design, construction and operation of four nuclear power plants by 2035, the first of which will be in operation by 2025. In June 2015, Nigeria selected two sites for the planned construction of the nuclear plants Neither the Nigerian government nor Rosatom would disclose the specific locations of the sites, but it is believed that the nuclear plants will be sited in Akwa Ibom State, in South-South Nigeria, and Kogi State, in the central northern part of the country. Both sites are planned to house two plants each.

In 2017, agreements were signed for the construction of the Itu nuclear power plant. In 2021, a reactor design was also proposed by Transcorp Energy as a way to improve access to electricity.

Kainji Dam excavations showed ironworking by the 2nd century BC. The transition from Neolithic times to the Iron Age was accomplished without intermediate bronze production. Some have suggested the technology moved west from the Nile Valley. But the Iron Age in the Niger River valley and the forest region appears to predate the introduction of metallurgy in the upper savanna by more than 800 years, as well as predating it in the Nile Valley. More recent research suggests that iron metallurgy was developed independently in Africa.

The Nok civilization thrived between 1,500 BC and AD 200. It produced life-sized terracotta figures that are some of the earliest known sculptures in Africa and smelted iron by about 550 BC and possibly a few centuries earlier. Evidence of iron smelting has also been excavated at sites in the Nsukka region of southeast Nigeria: dating to 2000 BC at the site of Lejja and to 750 BC at the site of Opi.

 Capital    Abuja
9°4′N 7°29′ELargest city Lagos Official languages English National languages

• Hausa
• Igbo
• Yoruba

Regional languages[1]Over 525 languages[2]Ethnic groups (2018)[3]

• 30% Hausa
• 15.5% Yoruba
• 15.7% Igbo
• 6% Fulani
• 2.4% Tiv
• 2.4% Kanuri
• 1.8% Ibibio
• 1.2% Ijaw
• 19.9% other

Demonym(s)Nigerian Government Federal  President Bola Tinubu• Vice President Kashim Shettima• Senate President Godswill Akpabio• House SpeakerTajudeen Abbas• Chief JusticeKudirat Kekere-Ekun Legislature National Assembly• Upper house Senate• Lower house House of Representatives Independence from the United Kingdom• Northern Nigeria Protectorate1 January 1900• Southern Nigeria Protectorate1 January 1900• Unification of Nigeria1 January 1914• Declared independent as a sovereign state1 October 1960• Became a republic1 October 1963• Current constitution29 May 1999Area• Total923,769 km2 (356,669 sq mi) (31st)• Water (%)1.4Population• 2023 estimate 236,747,130 (6th)• Density249.8/km2 (647.0/sq mi) (42nd)GDP (PPP)2024 estimate• Total $1.443 trillion[5] (27th)• Per capita $6,340[5] (142nd)GDP (nominal)2024 estimate• Total $252.738 billion (53rd)• Per capita $1,110 (167th)Gini (2020) 35.1
medium inequality HDI (2023) 0.560
medium (164th)Currency Naira (₦) (NGN)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (WAT) 

Ethiopia,[c] officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. Ethiopia covers a land area of 1,104,300 square kilometres (426,400 sq mi). As of 2024, it has around 128 million inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-most populous country in the world, the second-most populous in Africa after Nigeria, and the most populous landlocked country on Earth. The national capital and largest city, Addis Ababa, lies several kilometres west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the African and Somali tectonic plates.

Anatomically modern humans emerged from modern-day Ethiopia and set out for the Near East and elsewhere in the Middle Paleolithic period. In 980 BC, the Kingdom of D'mt extended its realm over Eritrea and the northern region of Ethiopia, while the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region for 900 years. Christianity was embraced by the kingdom in 330, and Islam arrived by the first Hijra in 615. After the collapse of Aksum in 960, the Zagwe dynasty ruled the north-central parts of Ethiopia until being overthrown by Yekuno Amlak in 1270, inaugurating the Ethiopian Empire and the Solomonic dynasty, claimed descent from the biblical Solomon and Queen of Sheba under their son Menelik I. By the 14th century, the empire had grown in prestige through territorial expansion and fighting against adjacent territories; most notably, the Ethiopian–Adal War (1529–1543) contributed to fragmentation of the empire, which ultimately fell under a decentralization known as Zemene Mesafint in the mid-18th century. Emperor Tewodros II ended Zemene Mesafint at the beginning of his reign in 1855, marking the reunification and modernization of Ethiopia

Population growth, migration, and urbanization are all straining both governments' and ecosystems' capacity to provide people with basic services. Urbanization has steadily been increasing in Ethiopia, with two periods of significantly rapid growth. First, in 1936–1941 during the Italian occupation under Mussolini's fascist government, and then from 1967 to 1975 when the populations of urban areas tripled.

In 1936, Italy annexed Ethiopia, building infrastructure to connect major cities, and a dam providing power and water. This, along with the influx of Italians and laborers, was the major cause of rapid growth during this period. The second period of growth was from 1967 to 1975, when rural populations migrated to towns seeking work and better living conditions.

This pattern slowed due to the 1975 Land Reform program instituted by the government, which provided incentives for people to stay in rural areas. As people moved from rural areas to the cities, there were fewer people to grow food for the population. The Land Reform Act was meant to increase agriculture since food production was not keeping up with population growth over the period of 1970–1983. This program encouraged the formation of peasant associations, large villages based on agriculture. The legislation did lead to an increase in food production, although there is debate over the cause; it may be related to weather conditions more than the reform. Urban populations have continued to grow with an 8.1% increase from 1975 to 2000.

Several important finds have propelled Ethiopia and the surrounding region to the forefront of palaeontology. The oldest hominid discovered to date in Ethiopia is the 4.2 million-year-old Ardipithecus ramidus (Ardi) found by Tim D. White in 1994. The most well-known hominid discovery is Australopithecus  afarensis (Lucy). Known locally as Dinkinesh, the specimen was found in the Awash Valley of Afar Region in 1974 by Donald Johanson, and is one of the most complete and best-preserved adult Australopithecine fossils ever uncovered. Lucy's taxonomic name refers to the region where the discovery was made. This hominid is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago.

Ethiopia is also considered one of the earliest sites of the emergence of anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens. The oldest of these local fossil finds, the Omo remains, were excavated in the southwestern Omo Kibish area and have been dated to the Middle Paleolithic, around 200,000 years ago. Additionally, skeletons of Homo sapiens idaltu were found at a site in the Middle Awash valley. Dated to approximately 160,000 years ago, they may represent an extinct subspecies of Homo sapiens, or the immediate ancestors of anatomically modern humans. Archaic Homo sapiens fossils excavated at the Jebel Irhoud site in Morocco have since been dated to an earlier period, about 300,000 years ago, while Omo-Kibish I (Omo I) from southern Ethiopia is the oldest anatomically modern Homo sapiens skeleton currently known (196 ± 5 kya).

According to some anthropologists, the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations arrived in the region during the ensuing Neolithic era from the family's proposed urheimat ("original homeland") in the Nile Valley,[52] or the Near East.[53] The majority of scholars today propose that the Afroasiatic family developed in northeast Africa because of the higher diversity of lineages in that region, a telltale sign of linguistic origin.

In 2019, archaeologists discovered a 30,000-year-old Middle Stone Age rock shelter at the Fincha Habera site in Bale Mountains at an elevation of 3,469 metres (11,381 feet) above sea level. At this high altitude, humans are susceptible both to hypoxia and to extreme weather. According to a study published in the journal Science, this dwelling is proof of the earliest permanent human occupation at high altitude yet discovered. Thousands of animal bones, hundreds of stone tools, and ancient fireplaces were discovered, revealing a diet that featured giant mole rats.

Evidence of some of the earliest known stone-tipped projectile weapons (a characteristic tool of Homo sapiens), the stone tips of javelins or throwing spears, were discovered in 2013 at the Ethiopian site of Gademotta, which date to around 279,000 years ago. In 2019, additional Middle Stone Age projectile weapons were found at Aduma, dated 100,000–80,000 years ago, in the form of points considered likely to belong to darts delivered by spear throwers.

 Capitaland largest cityAddis Ababa
9°1′N 38°45′EOfficial languages

• Amharic
• Afar
• Oromo
• Somali
• Tigrinya[1][2][3]

Regional languages[4]

• Harari
• Sidama
• Languages of Ethiopia

Ethnic groups (2007[5][6])

• 34.5% Oromo
• 26.9% Amhara
• 6.2% Somali
• 6.1% Tigrayan
• 4.0% Sidama
• 2.5% Gurage
• 2.3% Welayta
• 1.7% Hadiya
• 1.7% Afar
• 1.5% Gamo
• 12.6% others

Religion (2016[7])

• 67.3% Christianity
  • 43.8% Ethiopian Orthodoxy
  • 22.8% P'ent'ay
  • 0.7% other Christian
• 31.3% Islam
• 0.6% traditional faiths
• 0.8% others/none

Demonym(s)EthiopianGovernmentFederal parliamentary republic[8] under an authoritarian government[9][10]• PresidentTaye Atske Selassie• Prime MinisterAbiy Ahmed• Deputy Prime MinisterTemesgen Tiruneh• Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme CourtTewodros MihretLegislatureFederal Parliamentary Assembly• Upper houseHouse of Federation• Lower houseHouse of Peoples' RepresentativesFormation• Dʿmt980 BC• Kingdom of Aksum400 BC• Ethiopian Empire1270• Zemene Mesafint7 May 1769• Reunification11 February 1855• Centralisation1904• Occupied and annexed into Italian East Africa9 May 1936• Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement31 January 1942• Derg12 September 1974• People's Democratic Republic22 February 1987• Transitional government28 May 1991• Current constitution21 August 1995Area• Total1,104,300 km2 (426,400 sq mi) (26th)• Water (%)0.7Population• 2024 estimate 109,499,000[11] (10th)• 2007 census 73,750,932[6]• Density92.7/km2 (240.1/sq mi) (123rd)GDP (PPP)2024 estimate• Total $434.44 billion[12] (55th)• Per capita $4,050[12] (159th) 

While services remain underdeveloped, the National Office for Water and Sanitation (ONEA), a state-owned utility company run along commercial lines, is emerging as one of the best-performing utility companies in Africa.High levels of autonomy and a skilled and dedicated management have driven ONEA's ability to improve production of and access to clean water.

Since 2000, nearly 2 million more people have access to water in the four principal urban centres in the country; the company has kept the quality of infrastructure high (less than 18% of the water is lost through leaks – one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa), improved financial reporting, and increased its annual revenue by an average of 12% (well above inflation). Challenges remain, including difficulties among some customers in paying for services, with the need to rely on international aid to expand its infrastructure. The state-owned, commercially run venture has helped the nation reach its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets in water-related areas, and has grown as a viable company.

However, access to drinking water has improved over the last 28 years. According to UNICEF, access to drinking water has increased from 39 to 76% in rural areas between 1990 and 2015. In this same time span, access to drinking water increased from 75 to 97% in urban areas.[178]

A 33-megawatt solar power plant in Zagtouli, near Ouagadougou, came online in late November 2017. At the time of its construction, it was the largest solar power facility in West Africa

 Constitution of Burkina Faso

In 2015, Kaboré promised to revise the 1991 constitution. The revision was completed in 2018. One condition prevents any individual from serving as president for more than ten years either consecutively or intermittently and provides a method for impeaching a president. A referendum on the constitution for the Fifth Republic was scheduled for 24 March 2019.

Certain rights are also enshrined in the revised wording: access to drinking water, access to decent housing and a recognition of the right to civil disobedience, for example. The referendum was required because the opposition parties in Parliament refused to sanction the proposed text.

Following the January 2022 coup d'état, the military dissolved the parliament, government and constitution. On 31 January, the military junta restored the constitution, but it was suspended again following the September 2022 coup d'état.

Regions of Burkina Faso, Provinces of Burkina Faso, and Departments of Burkina Faso

The country is divided into 13 administrative regions. These regions encompass 45 provinces and 301 departments. Each region is administered by a governor.

There is mining of copper, iron, manganese, gold, cassiterite (tin ore), and phosphates.These operations provide employment and generate international aid. Gold production increased 32% in 2011 at six gold mine sites, making Burkina Faso the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa, after South Africa, Mali and Ghana. Gold production of Burkina Faso's in 2015 is 36 metric tonnes.

A 2018 report indicated that the country expected record 55 tonnes of gold in that year, a two-thirds increase over 2013. According to Oumarou Idani, there is a more important issue. "We have to diversify production. We mostly only produce gold, but we have huge potential in manganese, zinc, lead, copper, nickel and limestone".  

In 2009, Burkina Faso spent 0.20% of GDP on research and development (R&D), one of the lowest ratios in West Africa. There were 48 researchers (in full-time equivalents) per million inhabitants in 2010, which is more than twice the average for sub-Saharan Africa (20 per million population in 2013) and higher than the ratio for Ghana and Nigeria (39). It is, however, much lower than the ratio for Senegal (361 per million inhabitants). In Burkina Faso in 2010, 46% of researchers were working in the health sector, 16% in engineering, 13% in natural sciences, 9% in agricultural sciences, 7% in the humanities and 4% in social sciences. In January 2011, the government created the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation. Up until then, management of science, technology and innovation had fallen under the Department of Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research. Within this ministry, the Directorate General for Research and Sector Statistics is responsible for planning. A separate body, the Directorate General of Scientific Research, Technology and Innovation, coordinates research. This is a departure from the pattern in many other West African countries where a single body fulfills both functions. The move signals the government's intention to make science and technology a development priority.] Burkina Faso was ranked 129th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.

In 2012, Burkina Faso adopted a National Policy for Scientific and Technical Research, the strategic objectives of which are to develop R&D and the application and commercialization of research results. The policy also makes provisions for strengthening the ministry's strategic and operational capacities. One of the key priorities is to improve food security and self-sufficiency by boosting capacity in agricultural and environmental sciences. The creation of a centre of excellence in 2014 at the International Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering in Ouagadougou within the World Bank project provides essential funding for capacity-building in these priority areas

 Capitaland largest cityOuagadougou
12°22′N 1°32′WOfficial languages

• Mooré
• Bissa
• Dyula
• Fula

Working languages

• English
• French

Ethnic groups (2010 est.)[1]

• 52% Mossi
• 8.4% Fula
• 7% Gurma
• 4.9% Bobo
• 4.6% Gurunsi
• 4.5% Senufo
• 2.4% Lobi
• 1.9% Tuareg
• 0.8% Dyula

Religion (2019 census)[2]

• 63.8% Islam
  • 26.3% Christianity
    • 20.1% Catholicism
    • 6.2% Protestantism
• 9% Animism
• 0.7% irreligion

Demonym(s)Burkinabe Government Unitary Republic under a military junta• President Ibrahim Traoré• Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo Legislature Transitional  Legislative Assembly History• Republic of Upper Volta proclaimed11 December 1958• Independence from France5 August 1960• 1966 Upper  Voltan coup d'état3 January 1966• 2014 Burkina Faso uprising28 October – 3 November 2014• Jan 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état23–24 January 2022• Sep 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état30 September 2022Area• Total274,223[6] km2 (105,878 sq mi) (74th)• Water (%)0.146%Population• 2023 estimate 22,489,126[6] (58th)• Density64/km2 (165.8/sq mi)GDP (PPP)2023 estimate• Total $62.788 billion[7] (114th)• Per capita $2,682[7] (171st) 

[edit]Air Botswana (top) and Thapama Interchange (bottom)

Botswana has 971 kilometres (603 mi) of railway lines, 18,443.8 kilometres (11,460.4 mi) of roads, and 92 airports, of which 12 have paved runways. Of these roads, 7,383.2 kilometres (4,587.7 mi) are paved, while the other 11,060.6 kilometres (6,872.7 mi) are unpaved. The national airline is Air Botswana, which flies domestically and to other countries in Africa. Botswana Railways is the national railway company, operating primarily in the Southern African regional railway system. Botswana Railways offers rail-based transport facilities for moving a range of commodities for the mining sector and primary materials industries, as well as passenger train services and dry ports.

In terms of power infrastructure in Botswana, the country produces coal for electricity and imports oil. Recently, the country has taken a large interest in renewable energy sources and has designed a comprehensive strategy to attract investors in the wind, solar and biomass renewable energy industries. Botswana's power stations include Morupule B Power Station (600 MW), Morupule A Power Station (132 MW), Orapa Power Station (90 MW), Phakalane Power Station (1.3 MW) and Mmamabula Power Station (300 MW), which is expected to be online in the near future. A 200-MW solar power plant is in the planning and design stage at the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security.

 Foreign relations of Botswana and Botswana Defence Force

At the time of independence, Botswana had no armed forces. It was only after the Rhodesian and South African armies attacked the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe bases respectively that the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) was formed in 1977. The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces and appoints a defence council. In 2019, Botswana signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Following political changes in South Africa and the region, the BDF's missions have increasingly focused on preventing poaching, preparing for disasters, and supporting foreign peacekeeping. The United States has been the largest single foreign contributor to the development of the BDF, and a large segment of its officer corps have received U.S. training. The Botswana government gave the United States permission to explore the possibility of establishing an Africa Command (AFRICOM) base in the country.

Botswana is the 50th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index

 Mining industry of Botswana

The Jwaneng  diamond mine, richest in the world

In Botswana, the Department of Mines and Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security maintains data regarding mining throughout the country. Debswana, the largest diamond mining company operating in Botswana, is a joint venture, 50% owned by the government.

The mineral industry provides about 40% of all government revenues. Botswana has not begun mining uranium; however, the Letlhakane Uranium Project in Africa is one of the largest undeveloped uranium projects.The government announced in early 2009 that they would try to diversify their economy and avoid overreliance on diamonds.

 Capital Land Largest City Gaborone
24°39.5′S 25°54.5′EOfficial languages EnglishNational language Setswana Ethnic groups (2024)

• 79% Tswana
• 11% Kalanga
• 3% San
• 7% others[a]

Religion (2021)

• 79.1% Christianity
  • 70.2% Protestantism
  • 8.9% other Christian
• 15.2% no religion
• 4.1% Badimo
• 1.4% others[b]
• 0.3% unspecified[3]

Demonym(s)

• Batswana (plural)
• Motswana (singular)

[2]GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency• President Duma Boko• Vice-President Ndaba Gaolathe• National Assembly Speake rDithapelo Keorapetse• Chief Justice Gaolapelwe KetlogetsweLegislatureParliament
(National Assembly)Independence from the United Kingdom• Bechuanaland Protectorate31 March 1885• Governed under High Commissioner for Southern Africa9 May 1891• Established (Constitution)30 September 1966Area• Total581,730 km2 (224,610 sq mi) (47th)• Water (%)2.7Population• 2022 census2,359,609 (143rd)• Density4.1/km2 (10.6/sq mi) (231st)GDP (PPP)2024 estimate• Total $54.647 billion[7] (124th)• Per capita $20,158[7] (83rd)GDP (nominal)2024 estimate• Total $21.90 billion (122nd)• Per capita $7,859 (87th) 

Main articles: Health in South Africa and Healthcare in South Africa

According to the South African Institute of Race Relations, the life expectancy in 2009 was 71 years for a white South African and 48 years for a black South African.The healthcare spending in the country is about 9% of GDP. About 84% of the population depends on the public healthcare system, which is beset with chronic human resource shortages and limited resources. About 20% of the population use private healthcare. Only 16% of the population are covered by medical aid schemes; the rest pay for private care out-of-pocket or through in-hospital-only plans. The three dominant hospital groups, Mediclinic, Life Healthcare and Netcare, together control 75% of the private hospital market.

Main article: HIV/AIDS in South Africa

According to the 2015 UNAIDS medical report, South Africa has an estimated seven million people who are living with HIV – more than any other country in the world.In 2018, HIV prevalence—the percentage of people living with HIV—among adults (15–49 years) was 20.4%, and in the same year 71,000 people died from an AIDS-related illness.

A 2008 study revealed that HIV/AIDS infection is distinctly divided along racial lines: 13.6% of blacks are HIV-positive, whereas only 0.3% of whites have the virus. Most deaths are experienced by economically active individuals, resulting in many AIDS orphans who in many cases depend on the state for care and financial support. It is estimated that there are 1,200,000 orphans in South Africa.

South Africa is a parliamentary republic, but unlike most such republics, the president is both head of state and head of government and depends for their tenure on the confidence of Parliament. The executive, legislature, and judiciary are all subject to the supremacy of the Constitution of South Africa, and the superior courts have the power to strike down executive actions and acts of Parliament if they are unconstitutional. The National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, consists of 400 members and is elected every five years by a system of party-list proportional representation. The National Council of Provinces, the upper house, consists of ninety members, with each of the nine provincial legislatures electing ten members.

After each parliamentary election, the National Assembly elects one of its members as president; hence the president serves a term of office the same as that of the Assembly, normally five years. No president may serve more than two terms in office. The president appoints a deputy president and ministers (each representing a department) who form the cabinet. The National Assembly may remove the president and the cabinet by a motion of no confidence. In the most recent election, held on 29 May 2024, the ANC lost its majority for the first time since the end of Apartheid, winning only 40% of the vote and 159 seats, while the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), won 22% of the vote and 87 seats. u Mkhonto we Sizwe, a new party founded by former President and ANC leader Jacob Zuma, won 14.6% of the vote and 58 seats, while the Economic Freedom Fighters, founded by Julius Malema, former president of the ANC Youth League who was later expelled from the ANC, won 9.5% of the vote and 39 seats. After the election, the ANC formed a Government of National Unity with the DA and several smaller parties

South Africa is a major global tourist destination, with the tourism industry accounting for 3.3% of the country's GDP as of May 2025, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

In 2024, South Africa experienced a growth in tourism numbers, with combined passenger arrivals through its various ports of entry increasing to 8.92 million people.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the tourism industry directly contributed R102 billion to South Africa's GDP in 2012, and supports 10.3% of the country's employment. 1.8 million people were employed in South Africa's tourism sector in early 2025, and this number is expected to grow significantly over the coming few years.

South Africa offers both domestic and international tourists a wide variety of options, among others the picturesque natural landscape and game reserves, diverse cultural heritage and highly regarded wines. Some of the most popular destinations include several national parks, such as the expansive Kruger National Park in the north of the country, the coastlines and beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces, and the major cities of Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.

The top five overseas countries with the largest number of tourists visiting South Africa in 2017 were the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. Most of the tourists arriving in South Africa from elsewhere in Africa came from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. In terms of tourists from SADC countries, Zimbabwe topped the list at 31%, followed by Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Botswana. In addition, Nigeria was the country of origin for nearly 30% of tourists arriving in South Africa. 

 Capital

• Pretoria (executive)
• Cape Town (legislative)
• Bloemfontein (judicial)

Largest city JohannesburgOfficial languages12 languages

• Afrikaans
• English
• Ndebele
• Sepedi
• Sesotho
• Setswana
• South African Sign Language
• Swazi
• Tshivenda
• Xhosa
• Xitsonga
• Zulu

Languages with special status Ethnic groups (2022)

• 81.4% Black
• 8.2% Coloured
• 7.3% White
• 2.7% Indian or Asian
• 0.4% other

Religion (2022)

• 85.3% Christianity
• 7.8% traditional faiths
• 3.1% no religion
• 1.6% Islam
• 1.1% Hinduism
• 1.1% other

Demonym(s)

• South African

Government Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency• President Cyril Ramaphosa• Deputy President Paul Mashatile• Speaker of the National AssemblyThoko Didiza• Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane• Chief Justice Mandisa MayaLegislatureParliament• Upper house National Council of Provinces• Lower house National AssemblyIndependence from the United Kingdom• Union31 May 1910• Statute of Westminster11 December 1931• Republic31 May 1961• Current constitution4 February 1997Area• Total1,221,037 km2 (471,445 sq mi) (24th)• Water (%)0.380Population• 2024 estimate 63,015,904 (23rd)• 2022 census 62,027,503(23rd)• Density50.8/km2 (131.6/sq mi) (169th)GDP (PPP)2025 estimate• Total $1.030 trillion(33rd)• Per capita $16,010107th)GDP (nominal)2025 estimate• Total $418.05 billion (40th)• Per capita $6,520