Central District (Botswana)
Encyclopedia
Central is the largest of Botswana's districts
in terms of area and population. It encompasses the traditional homeland of the Bamangwato
people. Some of the most politically connected Batswana have come from the Central District, including former President Sir Seretse Khama, former President Festus Mogae
, and current President Lt. General Seretse Ian Khama.
Main population centers in Central include Palapye
and Serowe
, two of Africa's largest traditional villages. The district also contains tributaries of the Limpopo River
, which are prone to flash flood
s when sudden rainstorms drain eastward into the Limpopo.
In the northeast, Central borders Zimbabwe's
Matabeleland North
and Matabeleland South
Provinces, and in the southeast Central borders South Africa's
Limpopo
Province. Domestically, it borders the following districts:
within the Central District. There are several seasonal rivers in the district including the Boteti River
and the Lepashe River
, whose flows in the rainy season reach the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Districts of Botswana
||Botswana is divided into 16 administrative districts: 10 rural districts and 6 urban districts. These are administered by 16 local authorities...
in terms of area and population. It encompasses the traditional homeland of the Bamangwato
Bamangwato
The Bamangwato can be said to be one of the eight 'principal' Tswana tribes of Botswana, and just like any other Tswana tribe in Botswana, constitutes a small percent in the central district even in their capital serowe. They ruled over majority Bakalangaand other tribes such as the san,bitwa and...
people. Some of the most politically connected Batswana have come from the Central District, including former President Sir Seretse Khama, former President Festus Mogae
Festus Mogae
Festus Gontebanye Mogae is a Botswana politician who was President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama...
, and current President Lt. General Seretse Ian Khama.
Main population centers in Central include Palapye
Palapye
Palapye is a large town in Botswana, situated about halfway between Francistown and Gaborone . Over the years its position has made it a convenient stopover on one of Southern Africa's principal north–south rail and road routes...
and Serowe
Serowe
Serowe was famed as Botswana's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents...
, two of Africa's largest traditional villages. The district also contains tributaries of the Limpopo River
Limpopo River
The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. It is around long, with a drainage basin in size. Its mean annual discharge is 170 m³/s at its mouth...
, which are prone to flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
s when sudden rainstorms drain eastward into the Limpopo.
In the northeast, Central borders Zimbabwe's
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
Matabeleland North
Matabeleland North
Matabeleland North is a province in western Zimbabwe. It borders the provinces of Midlands and Mashonaland West to the east and northeast respectively, and the province of Matabeleland South and the city of Bulawayo to the south. Its northern border is defined by the Zambezi river, while its...
and Matabeleland South
Matabeleland South
Matabeleland South is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 54,172 km² and a population of approximately 650,000 . Gwanda is the capital of the province.-Geography:...
Provinces, and in the southeast Central borders South Africa's
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
Province. Domestically, it borders the following districts:
- North-EastNorth-East District (Botswana)The North-East District is one of the administrative districts of Botswana. Its capital is Masunga. In 2001, North-East had a population of 132,422 people...
- northeast - KgatlengKgatleng DistrictKgatleng is one of the districts of Botswana, coterminous with the homeland of the Bakgatla people. Its capital is Mochudi, the hometown of protagonist Precious Ramotswe in Alexander McCall Smith's popular The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series...
- south - KwenengKweneng DistrictKweneng is one of the districts of Botswana and is the recent historical homeland of the Bakwena people, the first group in Botswana converted to Christianity by famed missionary David Livingstone. Various landmarks, including Livingstone's Cave, allude to this history...
- southwest - GhanziGhanzi DistrictGhanzi is a district in western Botswana, bordering Namibia in the west and extending east into much of the interior of the country. The district's administrative centre is the town of Ghanzi. Most of the eastern half of Ghanzi makes up the Central Kalahari Game Reserve...
- west - North-WestNorth-West District (Botswana)North-West District Council is one of the local authorities of Botswana. It was established in 1966, overlapping the administrative districts of Chobe and Ngamiland...
- northwest
Sub-districts
Sub-districts of Central District include:- Bobirwa, hqrs. at BobonongBobonongBobonong, is a village in the Central District of Botswana 80 km from Selibe Phikwe town. Bobonong has a population of around 19,000. The Babirwa tribe can be found in this village...
- Boteti, hqrs. at LetlhakaneLetlhakaneLetlhakane is a village in the Central District of Botswana. It is located south of Mmatshumo and the population of the village was 14,962 in 2001 census....
- MahalapyeMahalapyeMahalapye is a town located in the Central District of Botswana.The town has about 39,000 inhabitants and is situated along the main road between the capital Gaborone and the second largest city Francistown....
- SeroweSeroweSerowe was famed as Botswana's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents...
PalapyePalapyePalapye is a large town in Botswana, situated about halfway between Francistown and Gaborone . Over the years its position has made it a convenient stopover on one of Southern Africa's principal north–south rail and road routes...
, hqrs. at PalapyePalapyePalapye is a large town in Botswana, situated about halfway between Francistown and Gaborone . Over the years its position has made it a convenient stopover on one of Southern Africa's principal north–south rail and road routes... - TutumeTutumeTutume is a large Bakalanga village located in the Central District of Botswana, about 50 km from the Zimbabwe border gate at Maitengwe. The nearest city is Francistown, about 100KM...
- TonotaTonotaTonota is a village located in the Central District of Botswana.The people in Tonota are said to be Bakhurutshe who fought against some other tribes they found there and after winning the war, they owned the land and they became 'Ba bina khama le phofu'...
Natural resources
There exist conflicts between agricultural expansion and protection of indigenous wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
within the Central District. There are several seasonal rivers in the district including the Boteti River
Boteti River
The Boteti River is a natural watercourse in Botswana. It derives flow from the core Okavango Delta through the Thamalakane River in Maun. It flowed year-round before the mid 1990s, after which decreasing flows led to seasonal desiccation in some lower reaches...
and the Lepashe River
Lepashe River
The Lepashe River is a natural watercourse in Botswana. It shares its name with the village of Lepashe, through which the river flows. The Lepashe River discharges to the Sua Pan. There are significant gravel resources along some reaches of the Lepashe River....
, whose flows in the rainy season reach the Makgadikgadi Pans.