Introduction
The capital of Botswana, Gaborone is a thriving modern city in the center of southern Africa. The city is situated in the southeast part of the country, very close to the South African border.
Places of interest
Gaborone is the site of many government buildings. The University of Botswana has been in the city since 1976. The city also has a national museum and art gallery, which collects works of art from all over southern African.
Among the popular gathering places in Gaborone are the commercial center, called The Mall, and the city's football (soccer) stadium. A wildlife reserve is located a short distance from the city.
Economy
Gaborone's economy is based on services and trade. Many people have jobs in government and business offices, banks, hotels and restaurants. Many of the businesses have to do with diamonds, which are Botswana's leading export. The city has few factories. The Cape-Zimbabwe railroad is an important link with other cities and neighboring countries. An international airport began operating in the city in 1984.
History
The modern history of Gaborone started in 1887, when the British built Fort Gaberones in their colony of Bechuanaland. They named the fort after Gaborone, the king of a nearby village. In 1897 a railway was opened along the eastern side of the country, linking Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Gaberones slowly grew as a station on the railway.
For many years the territorial headquarters of Bechuanaland was not in Bechuanaland at all, but in the town of Mafeking (now Mafikeng) in South Africa. In the early 1960s Gaberones was chosen to be the new capital, and in 1965 the government finally relocated. In 1966, Bechuanaland became independent from Great Britain and changed its name to the Republic of Botswana. Gaberones became Gaborone in 1969.
The city's population grew rapidly following independence. In the late 1980s, Gaborone was raided several times by troops from South Africa pursuing refugees from the apartheid government in that country, but relations between the two countries have improved since then. Population (1997 estimate), 183,487.
