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Since gaining its independence from Britain in
1966, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the globe's 20 poorest
countries into an African success story. As the fastest growing economy in the
world, Botswana calls itself the "Gem of Africa". In addition to a significant
cattle industry, thriving tourism, and significant foreign capital investment,
Botswana is one of the only diamond-rich African nations that has taken
advantage of its mineral wealth to fuel the country's expansion. In fact,
Botswana is the world's largest producer of gem diamonds. The openness and
stability of the country’s political system has also been a significant factor
in Botswana's growth. It is Africa's longest continuous multi-party democracy
and has been ranked as Africa's least corrupt country. On the downside, the
government faces high rates of unemployment, officially at 23.8%. Problems of
unequal distribution of wealth persist, with close to half of Botswana's
citizens continuing to live under the poverty line. Illegal immigrants from
Zimbabwe have been putting additional strain on the country. But Botswana’s
biggest worry is the AIDS epidemic, with more than 1/3 of the population living
with HIV/AIDS. In this photo, a Botswana guard and a Zimbabwean immigrant,
separated by a fence at Botswana's Center for Illegal Immigration.
Photo: Peter Hutchens/Still Life Projects.
Sources: THE ECONOMIST, U.S. State Department, Southern Africa Migration Project (SAMP), UNDP
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