Botswana
Botswana Passport Ranking
The Botswanan passport is currently ranked 63rd place on the Guide Consultants Passport Ranking Index. It provides visa-free access to 85 countries. Botswanan passport holders have visa-free access and visas on arrival to countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Israel, and United Kingdom. Botswanan citizens do however require a visa to enter 144 destinations in the world such as Thailand, Canada, Mexico, the United States and the entire European Union. This high visa requirement results in a medium mobility score.
Botswana Passport Ranking
The Botswana passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow Botswana passport holders to enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries) and those that allow Botswana passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). There are currently a total of 58 Botswana passport visa-free countries, 24 Botswana visa-on-arrival countries, and 3 eTA destinations.
Altogether, Botswana passport holders can enter a total of 85 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the Botswana passport ranks 63 in the world.
Separate from these Botswana visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 144 additional destinations which Botswana passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).
About Botswana
The landlocked Republic of Botswana is a former British colony. It is located in Southern Africa and it consists of 17 districts. It borders Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The most important districts are Central, Kweneng, and Gaborone. Botswana is the 23rd largest country in Africa with a surface area of 581,730 square kilometers. Making it one of the medium sized countries in Africa. Its terrain is mostly flat and the climate is semiarid.
The overall population is 2.2 million people. The capital of the country is Gaborone which is also the most populous city with around 231,000 living there. Other important cities of the country are Francistown, Molepolole and Serowe. The largest airport is Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE). It has an approximate yearly passenger traffic of 720,000 people. It connects the country to destinations across Africa and the Middle East. It is named after the first president of Botswana: Sir Seretse Khama.
Botswana gained independence from the U.K. in 1966. Its culture is dominated by a mix of tribal traditions and colonial heritage. There majority of the population is 79% Christian. The official language of the nation is English. Tribal dialects and languages are still widespread. The legal system is a mix between, civil, common and customary law. The government form is a parliamentary republic with President Mokgweetse Eric Masisi as elected chief of state and head of government. Elections take place every 5 years.
The official currency of the country is the Botswana Pula (BWP) with the current exchange rate being BWP 11 to the USD. Botswana has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $44.3 billion. This makes it the 24th largest economy in Africa. It has a per capita income of $18,654. The main GDP contributing sectors are services and agriculture. Botswana’s economy relies heavily on mining. The largest output diamond mine in the world called Orapa, is located in Botswana.
The Republic of Botswana is an exciting destination offering several attractions. It is known for its vast wildlife and safari tours in various national parks. Some of the major destinations are the world-famous Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve, Kasane and Francistown. The majority of the 270,000 yearly tourism visitors is originating from the neighboring African countries, the United States and Europe. Botswana has ranked 88 out of 141 by the World Economic forum for Travel and Tourism Competitiveness.
Gaborone
