Botswana is the African country with Gaborone as its capital and extensive Kalahari landscapes near the Okavango Delta.
Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa, and much of its territory lies within the Kalahari Desert or semi-arid Kalahari basin. Gaborone, in the southeast near the South African border, is the capital and largest city. The country is also known for the Okavango Delta in its northwest, where the Okavango River spreads into an inland wetland rather than reaching the sea.
The delta is in Botswana, while nearby countries have other major Kalahari landscapes. Botswana’s protected areas support elephants, lions, wild dogs, and many other species. The country became independent from the United Kingdom on 30 September 1966, when it was known as Bechuanaland Protectorate.
Botswana is sometimes confused with Namibia because both are sparsely populated, dry southern African countries. Botswana’s distinctive combination is Gaborone, the Kalahari, and the Okavango wetland.