The economy of Botswana is currently one of the world's fastest growing economies, averaging about 5% per annum over the past decade. Growth in private sector employment averaged about 10% per annum during the first 30 years of the country's independence. After a period of stagnation at the turn of the 21st century, Botswana's economy registered strong levels of growth, with GDP growth exceeding 6–7% targets. Botswana has been praised by the African Development Bank for sustaining one of the world's longest economic booms. Economic growth since the late 1960s has been on par with some of Asia's largest economies. The government has consistently maintained budget surpluses and has extensive foreign-exchange reserves.
The Orapa diamond mine is the world's largest diamond mine by area. The mine is located in Orapa, a town in the Central District of Botswana about 240 km (150 mi) west of the city of Francistown. Orapa is owned by Debswana, a partnership between the De Beers company and the government of Botswana. The mine was discovered on 1 March 1967, a year after Botswana's independence, by a team of De Beers geologists, including Manfred Marx, Jim Gibson and led by Dr. Gavin Lamont. It is the oldest of four mines operated by the company, and began operations in July 1971 and its first production was 1,438,168 carats (287,633.6 g). The revenue the mine generated is credited for transforming the Botswana economy, as it allowed the government to invest in critical social services and national infrastructure.
The Letlhakane diamond mine is a diamond mine located in Botswana about 190 kilometers (120 mi) west of the city of Francistown. Letlhakane, meaning "little reeds", is owned by Debswana, a partnership between the De Beers company and the government of Botswana. It is the second oldest of four mines operated by the company, having begun operations in 1975.
The Jwaneng diamond mine is the richest diamond mine in the world, and also the second largest in the world. It is nicknamed "the Prince of Mines", and is located in south-central Botswana about 170 kilometers (110 mi) southwest of the city of Gaborone.
The Damtshaa diamond mine is a diamond mine located in Botswana about 220 km west of the city of Francistown. Damtshaa, meaning "water for a tortoise", is owned by Debswana, a partnership between the De Beers company, Aquarius Global Resources and the government of Botswana. It is the newest of four mines operated by the company, officially opening on October 25, 2003.
Debswana Diamond Company Limited, or simply Debswana, is a mining company located in Botswana, and is the world's leading producer of diamonds by value. Debswana operates four diamond mines in the eastern and central parts of Botswana, as well as a coal mine. Debswana is a joint venture between the government of Botswana and the South African diamond company De Beers; each party owns 50 percent of the company.
Jwaneng is a town located in the Southern District of Botswana, but it is not part of this, being a separate district, with its own Town Council.
Letlhakane is a village in the Central District of Botswana. Letlhakane is the headquarters of the Boteti sub-district. It is located south of Mmatshumo and the population of the village was 22,911 in 2011 census.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, located 15 kilometres (9 mi) north of downtown Gaborone, is the main international airport of the capital city of Botswana. The airport is named after Sir Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana. It was opened in 1984 to handle regional and international traffic. It has the largest passenger movement in the country. In 2017 the airport got its first special economic zone which would house in the following departments: CAAB, Botswana Innovation Hub, ITPA and diamond hub for diamond sector.
Jwaneng Airport is an airport serving Jwaneng, a town in the Southern District of Botswana. It is owned by Debswana, which also owns the Jwaneng diamond mine. There is no scheduled airline service.
Ghanzi Airport is a port of entry airport serving Ghanzi, a town in the Ghanzi District of Botswana. The airport is adjacent to the town.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) functions as the regulatory body for all aviation related activities in Bangladesh. It is the civil aviation authority operating under the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. All nine operational airports are operated by the CAAB. A member of International Civil Aviation Organization, it has signed bilateral air transport agreement with 52 states. It is headquartered in Kurmitola, Dhaka.
The mining industry of Botswana has dominated the national economy of Botswana since the 1970s, being a primary sector industry. Diamond has been the leading component of the mineral sector ever since production of gems started being extracted by the mining company Debswana. Most of Botswana's diamond production is of gem quality, resulting in the country's position as the world's leading producer of diamond by value. Copper, gold, nickel, coal and soda ash production also has held significant, though smaller, roles in the economy.
Sua Pan Airport or Sowa Airport is an airport 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of Sowa, a town in the Central District of Botswana.
On 14 October 2011, a Cessna 208 Caravan turboprop passenger aircraft operated by Moremi Air on a domestic flight from Xakanaka camp to Maun, Botswana, crashed and caught fire shortly after take-off, killing eight of the twelve people on board.
Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) is the civil aviation authority of Botswana. Its head office is in the Letsema Office Park in Gaborone. The Civil Aviation Authority Act, 2004 established the agency, which in 2009 became fully operational. The previous agency was the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), subordinate under the Ministry of Works and Transport. The Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) is responsible for the regulation and development of air transport, providing air navigation services, managing airports and advising the government on all aspects of civil aviation.
Jwaneng Galaxy Football Club is a Botswana football club based in Jwaneng. The club currently plays in the Botswana Premier League.
The Orapa Power Station is a Peak load power generation plant located in the mining town of Orapa in northeastern Botswana in the Central District. It is built within the Debswana Diamond Company Ltd Orapa diamond mine fenced leased area and owned by the Government of Botswana who mandated the Botswana Power Corporation to manage, operate and maintain the facility.
Lynette Armstrong is a Botswana accountant and corporate executive, who was appointed as the acting chief executive officer of Debswana Diamond Company Limited, the largest diamond-mining company in the world, by value. She was appointed to that position in August 2019. Before that, from December 2015 until August 2019, Armstrong was the chief financial officer (CFO) at the same company. She relinquished he CEO/Managing Director role on 1 June 2022 when Andrew Maatla Motsomi became the new substantive CEO. Ms Armstrong resumed her role of CFO at Debswana.
