Botswana

Botswana is one of Africa's success stories: a stable democracy that turned diamond wealth into one of the continent's highest incomes since independence in 1966, rising from poverty to upper-middle-income status.

Diamonds remain the backbone of the economy, and the country has prudently managed the revenue, though this dependence and high unemployment and inequality are ongoing concerns.

Key Sectors

The economy is dominated by diamond mining (Botswana is among the world's top producers by value), with tourism centered on the Okavango Delta and wildlife, and cattle ranching.