Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, north of South Africa, and is about the size of Texas. Just over 1.5 million people live in Botswana.

Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection (approximately 37% of the population has HIV/AIDS), but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

As a tourist destination, the country is known as the jewel of Africa with its unspoilt and mysterious Kalahari Desert, the unparalleled Mokolodi Nature Reserve, and the Okavango Delta teeming with wildlife. The climate is hot, dry and comfortable with over three hundred days of clear blue skies a year. The majority of the people live in a rural setting, a large percentage without electricity or running water. The encouragement of artisans to preserve their cultural heritage by producing works of art is one way of stimulating the economy in these areas.