Botswana Cattle

More than one-half of the population lives in rural areas and is largely dependent on subsistence crop and livestock farming. Agriculture meets only a small portion of food needs and contributes a very small amount to GDP--primarily through beef exports--but it remains a social and cultural touchstone. Cattle raising in particular dominated Botswana's social and economic life before independence. The national herd is estimated between 2 and 3 million head. ... [Read More]

Botswana

The San, who now chiefly inhabit the Kalahari Desert, are the earliest known inhabitants of the country. They were linguistically, culturally, and often morphologically distinct from the rest of the population; however, they were not a homogenous group. The San remained economically and politically marginalized, have lost access to their traditional land in fertile regions of the country, and were vulnerable to exploitation by their non-San neighbors. Their isolation, ignorance of civil rights, and lack of political representation have stymied their progress. The estimated 52,000 to 65,000 San represented approximately 3 percent of the country's population. Although the San traditionally were hunter-gatherers, most employed San worked as agricultural laborers on cattle ranches that belonged to other ethnic groups. During the year, a substantial proportion of the San resided in government-created Remote Area Dweller settlements and subsisted on government social welfare benefits. ... [Read More]

Botswana

Unions were independent of the Government and were not closely allied with any political party or movement. Unions may employ full-time administrative staff, but the law requires elected union officials to work full-time in the industry that the union represents. This rule severely limited union leaders' professionalism and effectiveness and was criticized by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). In July, Parliament passed a law eliminating this requirement; the law was awaiting signature by the President at year's end. Workers may not be fired for union-related activities. Dismissals on other grounds may be appealed to civil courts or labor officers, which rarely ordered more than 2 months' severance pay. Unions may join international organizations, and the BFTU was affiliated with the ICFTU. The Minister of Labor must approve any affiliation with an outside labor movement; however, unions ... [Read More]

US Department Of State Post Report

The diplomatic community is relatively small, with 14 resident diplomatic missions plus resident offices of international organizations. Several thousand expatriates from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India, and some Scandinavian countries live and work in Botswana and it is easy to become acquainted with them through church, sporting clubs or social organizations. Getting to know average Batswana requires more effort as the focus of Botswana society is on village life, the family cattle ranch, and church activities. ... [Read More]

Africa

1111--   A Masai Village in Kenya Responds to the September 11 Attacks; A Masai village makes a gift of cattle to help Americans recover from the September 11 attacks; Enoosaen, Kenya ... [Read More]

Namibia (07/05)

In the largely white-dominated commercial sector, agriculture consists primarily of livestock ranching. Cattle raising is predominant in the central and northern regions, while karakul sheep, goat, and ostrich farming are concentrated in the more arid southern regions. Subsistence farming is confined to the "communal lands" of the country's populous north, where roaming cattle herds are prevalent and the main crops are millet, sorghum, corn, and peanuts. Table grapes, grown mostly along the Orange River in the country's arid south, are becoming an increasingly important commercial crop and a significant employer of seasonal labor. ... [Read More]

Arms and Conflict in Africa

By the late 1990s, there were an estimated 30,000-40,000 AK-47s in the hands of Karimojong and neighboring pastoral communities. Ownership of such a weapon conferred political, social, and economic status. Oftentimes, an AK-47 was part of a bride price. Not surprisingly, cattle rustling and clan warfare became more lethal. Efforts by the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) to disarm the Karimojong led to occasional clashes. The proliferation of AK-47s not only has intensified conflict but also has undermined the authority of the elders. As a result, Karimojong society not only is less cohesive but also has become part of the arc of conflict that stretches from the Horn of Africa to east, central, and southern Africa. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: Worldwatch Institute Issues Alert on Threat of AIDS

Food production declines from the epidemic have been reported in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Zimbabwe. In pastoral economies, such as Namibia, the loss of the male head of household is often followed by the loss of cattle, the family's livelihood. ... [Read More]

Swaziland (07/05)

Nearly 60% of Swazi territory is held by the Crown in trust of the Swazi nation. The balance is privately owned, much of it by foreigners. The question of land use and ownership remains a very sensitive one. For Swazis living on rural homesteads, the principal occupation is either subsistence farming or livestock herding. Culturally, cattle are important symbols of wealth and status, but they are being used increasingly for milk, meat, and profit. ... [Read More]

Background Notes Archive - International Organizations

U.S Department of State Background Notes: United Nations, October 1995 Bureau of Public Affairs BACKGROUND NOTES: UNITED NATIONS October 1995 Official Name: United Nations PROFILE Established: By charter signed in San Francisco, California, on June 26, 1945; effective October 24, 1945. Purposes: To maintain international peace and security; to achieve international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends. Members: 185. Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish. Principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat. Budget (Calendar year 1995): $12.8 billion (U.S. share $2.8 billion). Components: UN regular assessed budget--$1.3 billion ... [Read More]