Gaborone was named after Chief Gaborone of the native Tlôkwa tribe. Nicknames for Gaborone include “Gabs”, “G-City” and “GC”.
At the heart of Gaborone is its “Main Mall”, a long strip of commercial businesses east of an arc-shaped set of government offices.
Housing and illegal settlements are longstanding issues in Gaborone, in part due to Gaborone’s history which includes being one of the world’s fastest-growing cities.
Bordered by South Africa to its south, Botswana is a landlocked nation in southern Africa. Botswana shipped US$5.2 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2019. Botswana’s most valuable exports are diamonds (90.6% of its global total), insulated wire or cable (1.7%), beef (1.6%), gold (0.8%) and salts including table salt (0.4%) according to the International Trade Centre.
Botswana is home to the highest concentration of African elephants in the world. African elephants have a lifespan of up to 80 years. Unsurprisingly, almost 40% of Botswana’s land mass is dedicated to reserves, wildlife management areas and national parks.
Capital Facts for Gaborone, Botswana: Quick Reference
Geography
Capital landmarks: Three Chiefs’ Statues, National Museum and Art Gallery, National Botanical Garden, Gaborone International Convention Center, Krishna Balaram Palace, Sri Balaji Temple and Trinity Church
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Gaborone, Botswana.
- Mpule Kwelagobe, Miss Universe 1999 & politician (born Nov. 14, 1979)
- Samantha Paxinos, Olympic swimmer (born Feb. 25, 1988)
- John Kamyuka, Olympic swimmer (born Jan. 11, 1989)
- Modiri Marumo, soccer player/footballer (born Jul. 6, 1976)
- Karabo Motlhanka, cricket player (born Apr. 17, 1992)
- Naomi Ruele, Olympic swimmer (born Jan. 13, 1997)
- Joel Mogorosi, soccer player/footballer (born Aug. 2, 1982)
- Sheillah Molelekwa, Miss Universe 2012 contestant (born Nov. 26, 1992)
- Alister Walker, professional squash player (born Sep. 19, 1982)
- Tsaone Macheng, Miss Universe 2013 contestant (born Oct. 1, 1989)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches mostly targeting published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for a resident of Botswana: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Population: 280,519 (Gaborone urban/rural) for 2020 projected
Density: 4,316 people per square mile (1,660 per square kilometer)
Population: 2,353,000 (Botswana) at July 5, 2020
Density: 11 people per square mile (4 per square kilometer)
Median age for all Botswana: 24 years old
Financial
GDP: US$44.1 billion in 2019 (Botswana)
GDP per person: $18,558
Note: The above country-level GDP metrics are on a Purchasing Power Parity basis and are in U.S. dollars. Credible city GDP statistics for Gaborone were unavailable.
Official currency used in Gaborone: Botswana pula
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data).
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Africa: Botswana.
Demographia, World Urban Area, 12th Annual Edition.
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases.
International Trade Centre, Trade Map.
Mercer, 2016 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey City Rankings, News Release.
Official Government Website, Republic of Botswana – Government portal.
Statistics Botswana, Botswana Population Projections.
Wikimedia Commons, City Flags.
Note: Some city flags were unavailable. If so, attribution belongs to Wikimedia Commons for pertinent country flags.
Wikipedia, Botswana.
Wikipedia, Gaborone.
World Population Review, Population of Cities in Botswana (2016).
WorldOMeter, Botswana Population.
Botswana won its independence from the United Kingdom on September 30, 1966. Each September 30, Botswana’s Independence Day is celebrated as a national holiday.
Gaborone’s urban and nearby rural land area measures 65 square miles (169 square kilometers) home to a projected population of 280,519 residents in 2020.
At the country level, Botswana has a land mass of 218,816 square miles (566,730 square kilometers) with 2.4 million inhabitants as of July 2020.
Population density is concentrated within Botswana’s capital city Gaborone with an average 4,316 residents per square mile (1,660 per square kilometer).
One of the world’s most sparsely populated nations, Botswana has a modest population density diluting to an average 11 people per square mile (4 per square kilometer).
