BOTSWANA : Second Largest DIAMONDS Producer in the World | 10 INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT IT

Discover Botswana, 10 things you should know about it. Large producer of diamonds and salt and almost entirely desert country which celebrates the new year on the first two days of January. A nation with wedding rituals in which everything depends on the approval of the family, Botswana is a country filled with amazing things to discover. In this video, we are going to discover 10 interesting things you should know about Botswana. Now, before we get into it, if you are new to the channel, please press the subscribe button and turn on the notification bell so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos. Let's get into it. Botswana Wedding Rituals Traditionally, Botswana marriage was a process marked by a number of rituals and exchanges between the two families. No ritual or exchange was final to confirm the existence of a marriage. The exchange of the bride's wealth, usually eight heads of cattle, was the most elaborate, materially and ritually, but it often occurred several years after the couple cohabited, after the birth of children and sometimes after the woman's death. Polygamy, although not absent, is no longer common. Serial monogamy and cohabitation have, in some cases, replaced polygamy. Arranged marriages have largely ceased. However, despite the fact that spouses now choose each other, family approval is usually always sought and not always granted. Decisions are based less on the identity of the new spouse than on their family. The assumption being that families, not just spouses, are reunited and the right family will produce the right spouse. Family members, and sometimes even the head, intervene in marital problems. The Botswana are very attached to dance and music. Music is the aspect of culture that has perhaps best survived the onslaught of Western influences in Botswana. The traditional and modern music of many ethnic groups in Southern and Sub-Saharan Africa is heard almost everywhere you go, in stores, malls, homes, schools, cars, trains, taxis, and bars. Music, dancing, and daily activities, and modern ceremonies such as weddings and even funerals. The Botswana incorporated the traditional music into religious songs. The result is some of the most moving and soulful music on the planet. Children learn traditional music and dance in primary school. Even in high schools, the morning congregation sometimes begins with songs. Teacher training institutes often have their own dance troupes, some of which have performed abroad. Traditional dance competitions for schools are held periodically, usually in large towns and villages, and many schools across the country participate. Languages spoken Bantu, Khoisan, and European languages are spoken in Botswana. English is the official language, and Setswana the national language. This means that the language of government and higher education is predominantly English, but Setswana is the dominant language spoken in the country. It is said that 90% of the population speaks Setswana. The term Setswana refers to both the Tswana language and the Tswana practices and cultures, and there has been growing resistance to the domination of Setswana as a national language by speakers of other languages. Language revival movements have also appeared. Most speakers of other languages are multilingual. Some, however, have lower Setswana skills and have complained of disadvantages of primary education. 70% of the total land area of Botswana is desert. Botswana is a country without access to the sea surrounded by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west, Zambia to the north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. Not very populated, Botswana is a large country almost entirely desert. The famous Kalahari Desert covers 70% of the total surface of the country. It is a desert country home to extensive cattle breeding. This country produces a large quantity of diamonds. A politically stable country for many years, Botswana is one of the wealthiest areas in southern Africa. The climate is semi-arid due to the short rainy season. However, the altitude and latitude create a subtropical climate. The country experiences summer temperatures averaging 26 degrees Celsius. Sunshine is high throughout the year, although more in winter. The country is windy and dusty in the dry season. The name of the currency of Botswana means rain. The currency in Botswana is unique to this country. It is called Pula. It is represented by the sign P or BWP. In Twana, Pula means rain because it is as scarce as silver in Botswana. Classically, this currency takes the form of banknotes and coins. Each Pula is subdivided into 100 Thibi, which are cents. There are therefore coins of 5, 10, 20, and 50 Thibi, as well as of 1, 2, and 5 Pula. As for the banknotes, there are 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Pula banknotes. They bear the portraits of President Kama and three traditional Tswana chiefs who played an important role during colonization. One thing to note, however, before you go on a trip to Botswana. Officially, the Pula is the only currency in Botswana, but in reality, the South African Rand is sometimes accepted because of its stability, which makes it valuable. One of the largest diamond producers in the world, Botswana is the world's second-largest producer of germ-quality diamonds in terms of quantity behind Russia but the first in terms of value. Indeed, it alone produces more than 30 million carats per year, nearly 20% of world production, half of which is germ-quality in significant weight. Its capital, Gaborone, is today an essential diamond center. The first diamond discoveries in Botswana date back to the 1950s. The mines have been in operation since 1972, and their production is of excellent quality, with over 60% of rough diamonds there being germ-quality. Unlike other African countries, diamond revenues have given Botswana a tremendous economic and social boost. It is indeed one of the few African countries to provide free education from primary school to secondary school. In 40 years, the number of schools there has multiplied by 100. Although still fragile, there's no doubt that Botswana will experience strong growth in the years to come thanks to diamonds. A MAJOR PRODUCER OF SALT Botash Botswana Ash Limited, which is a company owned by the government of Botswana and the Clore Akali Holdings TH, a South African company, at 50% each, is the largest producer of sodium products in the natural region, producing sodium carbonate and salt. Botash's nominal production capacity for soda ash is 300,000 tons per year, and for salt is approximately 650,000 tons per year, which includes chemical salt, coarse salt, and fine salt. However, salt production amounts to 420,000 tons per year and is limited by the market rather than production constraints. In the past, all mine activities were undertaken in a sewer pan, from production to marketing, sales, and admin. Today, Botash has increased its presence in the region with fully operational offices in South Africa and Zambia, primarily dealing with the sale and marketing of Botswana ash products. THE DAILY FOOD OF THE BOTSWANA Sorghum and maize flour porridge is the staple of most meals in Botswana. People wake up in the and tea. A thicker version of porridge, known as bogobe, anchors the substantial midday meal, accompanied by a stew of meat or cabbage, spinach or beans. People also use rice, but it is considered more expensive and associated with Europeans. Meats include chicken, goat, sheep, cattle, fish, or caterpillar, known as pane. Evening village meals may include leftovers from midday onwards, but for many people, it is often just tea and buttered bread. There are also many restaurants representing food from all over the world in urban areas. Fast food chains such as KFC, Nando's Chicken, and Pie City are very popular there. IMPORTANT CELEBRATIONS IN BOTSWANA Botswana celebrates the New Year on the first two days of January. Easter is celebrated from Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, until Easter Monday. The celebrations revolve around the church and the family. President's Day is a public holiday and the third weekend in July. During this four-day weekend, many people return to their home villages to join their extended families. Government-sponsored programs during this holiday open with prayer and feature traditional dances, songs, speeches, and praise poems. Botswana Day, September 30, commemorates Botswana's independence from the British on September 30, 1966. Christmas is the most important holiday and it is once again a tradition for the Botswana to return to their home villages for the festivities. Family members usually give each other new clothes at this time. Boxing Day, December 26, stems from an old British custom in which trade and service workers carried small terracotta boxes and collected tips. GREETINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT Greetings are an important formality in Botswana and should not be overlooked. You tend to get better answers to questions if you greet people with a friendly dumela followed by a ra for men and a ma for women. It's also important to point out that a two-handed handshake, that is your left hand on your elbow as you squeeze, is better than a western-style handshake. Putting your left hand on your elbow is also important when money changes hands. Because national culture is so defined by hierarchy, it is not common for children to question or respond to parents or for subordinates to contradict overlings. This shouldn't affect most visitors to the country but it may explain why the lodge or other employees are so respectful to their bosses and sometimes unwilling to give an opinion that might contradict their superiors. Here we are at the end of our video. I hope you enjoyed it. Please do not hesitate to like it and share it with others. Also, don't hesitate to watch other amazing videos that we have prepared for you on our channel Africa Revealed. Bless.