Central District (Botswana)

Central
District
Location within Botswana Location within Botswana
Coordinates:
Country	Botswana
Capital	Serowe
Area
• Total	147,730 km2 (57,040 sq mi)
Population (2011 census)
• Total	638,604
• Density	4.3/km2 (11/sq mi)
Time zone	Central Africa Time (UTC+2)

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 floods 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:

• North-East - northeast
• Kgatleng - south
• Kweneng - southwest
• Ghanzi - west
• North-West - northwest

Sub-districts

Sub-districts of Central District include:

• Bobirwa, headquarters at Bobonong
• Boteti, headquarters at Letlhakane
• Mahalapye
• Serowe Palapye, headquarters at Palapye
• Tutume
• Tonota
• Tswapong

Natural resources

There exist conflicts between agricultural expansion and protection of indigenous wildlife 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.

See also

• Lepashe River
• Sub-districts of Botswana

References

• Jan Petter, Huberth Hansen and Arvid Lillethun, Resource utilization in the Central District CFDA, Botswana: with special reference to arable farming systems and conflicts in resource management - livestock versus wildlife