Weird Facts about Botswana - Unique and Little Known Aspects of Botswana

Meerkats are curious furry creatures that belong to the mongoose species. Botswana also happens to be one of the world's top places to witness these majestic creatures in the wild. Endemic to the southern reaches of Africa, Meerkats are found in large numbers across the Kalahari Desert. In fact, Meerkat safari tours are organized by Botswana's local tour operators to cater to the high demands of tourists.

One of the best aspects of Botswana is that the country is home to the highest number of elephants in all of Africa. The concentration of gentle giants is so impressive that the country reportedly has 1.28 elephants per every square meter of its land mass. A whopping 130,451 gentle giants are known to occupy the country and this makes Botswana the ideal venue for wildlife safaris.

The natural beauty and wonders of Botswana are not lost on its populace or its government it would seem like an impressive 38% of the country's territory consist of protected reserves. No hunting or poaching are permitted in the many national parks, wildlife enclosures and sanctuaries that make up this 38% which is controlled by government run wildlife conservation organizations. This is perhaps why Botswana is ranked among the top wildlife hubs in Africa although many tourists still flock to neighbouring African nations with far fewer protected areas and nature reserves.

For a nation, so green, lush and full of wild and wonderful inhabitants, it may come as a surprise that more than 70% of the country is made up of desert landscapes. The desert areas include the Kalahari Desert which is one of the world's best known semi arid sandy savannas. Those based at Avani Hotels & Resorts or any similar hotels in Botswana may find that in spite of the inhospitable nature of these areas, many desert based activities are available for those who wish to experience the topography of the Kalahari.

Africa is a continent full of natural wonders and one of the 7 most coveted natural landscapes in Africa is found in Botswana. The Okavango Delta, which occupies the Kalahari Desert, is a unique territory covered with vegetation and swamplands occupied by a plethora of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta is one of the best reasons to holiday in Botswana.

While many may be unaware of its status as a diamond producer, the county is one of the leading sources of diamonds. Botswana, in fact, produced more than 40 million carats worth of diamonds back in 2016. Many of the world's best known jewellers and gem merchants secure the precious stone from Botswana.

Although most tourists would not have heard of it, the Makgadikgadi Pan is among the biggest salt pans on the planet and it is located in the north eastern region of Botswana.