Kweneng District

{{Infobox settlement | name = Kweneng | native_name = | native_name_lang = tsn | type = [[Districts of Botswana|District]] | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = Botswana - Kweneng.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Location within Botswana | mapsize = frameless | coordinates = {{coord|24|00|S|25|00|E|region:BW_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flagdeco|Botswana}} [[Botswana]] | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = [[Capital (political)|Capital]] | seat = [[Molepolole]] | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = | leader_name = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 35890 | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = | population_total = 387983 | population_as_of = 2022 census | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone1 = [[Central Africa Time]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | blank_name_sec2 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2019) | blank_info_sec2 = 0.721<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><br/>{{color|#0c0|high}} · [[List of districts of Botswana by Human Development Index|4th]] | website = {{official website|https://www.gov.bw/node/264}} | footnotes = | seat1_type = Largest | seat1 = [[Mogoditshane]] | parts_type = [[Sub-districts of Botswana|Sub-districts]] | parts = List | p1 = [[Molepolole]]/[[Lentsweletau]] <br /> [[Letlhakeng]] <br /> [[Mogoditshane]]/[[Thamaga]] | blank_name_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec1 = | government_type = [[Municipal council|District council]] }} '''Kweneng''' 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. The seat of the district's government is [[Molepolole]], Botswana's most populous village (only trailing [[Botswana]]'s two cities: [[Gaborone]] and [[Francistown, Botswana|Francistown]]).

It borders [[Central District (Botswana)|Central District]] in northeast, [[Kgatleng District]] on the east, [[South-East District (Botswana)|South-East District]] in southeast, [[Southern District (Botswana)|Southern District]] in south, [[Kgalagadi District]] in the west, [[Ghanzi District]] in the north. The district is administered by a district administration and district council which are responsible for local administration. Manyana rock paintings in Manyana village and Kgosi Sechele I Museum are the major attractions in the district.

As of 2011, the total population of the district was 304,549 compared to 230,335 in 2001. The growth rate of population during the decade was 2.83. As of 2006, the total number of people working in Kweneng East in agricultural sector was 7,212, 4,727 male and 2,484 female, with agriculture being the major profession.

==Geography== Kweneng is the only district without a foreign border. It borders [[Central District (Botswana)|Central District]] in northeast, [[Kgatleng District]] on the east, [[South-East District (Botswana)|South-East District]] in southeast, [[Southern District (Botswana)|Southern District]] in south, [[Kgalagadi District]] in the west, [[Ghanzi District]] in the north. The region is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude. Most part of Botswana has tableland slopes sliding from east to west. The region has an average elevation of around {{convert|915|m|ft|abbr=on}} above the mean sea level. The vegetation type is [[Savannah]], with tall grasses, bushes and trees. The annual precipitation is around {{convert|25|cm|in|abbr=on}}, most of which is received during the summer season from November to May. Most of the rivers in the region are seasonal, with [[Metsimotlhabe River]], which are prone to [[flash flood]]s, being the most prominent.<ref>{{cite book|title=Geography|last=Singh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fh6UUv1En9EC&q=botswana+geography&pg=SA12-PA53|page=12.53|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|isbn=978-0-07-107480-3|year=2011}}</ref> Manyana rock paintings in Manyana village and Kgosi Sechele I Museum are the major attractions in the district.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tourist attractions in Botswana|url=http://www.gov.bw/en/Visitors/Topics/Tourists-Attractions/Tourist-Attractions/#dc71e5ef3bfc4bc89ece9719a53a8b06|publisher=Government of Botswana|access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref>

==Demographics== {{Historical populations |align = right |1981|117127|1991|170437|2001|230335|2011|304549| footnote = Sources:<ref name=census/>|2022|387983}} As of 2011, the total population of the district was 304,549 compared to 230,335 in 2001. The growth rate of population during the decade was 2.83. The population in the district was 15.04 per cent of the total population in the country. The sex ratio stood at 96.53 for every 100 males, compared to 93.90 in 2001. The average house hold size was 2.86 in 2011 compared to 4.34 in 2001. There were 11,142 craft and related workers, 4,692 clerks, 14,054 people working in elementary occupation 1,263 Legislators, Administrators & managers 6,378 Plant & machine operators and assemblers, 1,790 professionals, 7,227 service workers, shop & market sales workers, 2,988 skilled agricultural & related workers 4,125 technicians and associated professionals, making the total work force to 54,176.<ref name=census>{{cite web|title=Census of Botswana, 2011|url=http://botswana.opendataforafrica.org/DEOB2015/demography-of-botswana-2015|year=2015|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Botswana|access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref>

==Education and economy== [[File:Kgari sechele secondary school.jpg|250px|thumb|A school in the district]] As of 2011, there were a total of 101 schools in the district, with 16.70 per cent private schools. The total number of students in the Council schools was 43,930 while it was 3,646 in private schools. The total number of students enrolled in the district was 47,576 constituting 23,121 girls and 24,455 boys. The total number of qualified teachers was 1,849 with 1,449 females and 400 males. There were around 094 temporary teachers, 46 male and 140 female. There were a total of 6 untrained teachers in the district.<ref name=edu>{{cite web|title=Education details of Botswana, 2011|url=http://botswana.opendataforafrica.org/deusq/education-2002-2012-botswana|year=2015|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Botswana|access-date=12 November 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112205102/http://botswana.opendataforafrica.org/deusq/education-2002-2012-botswana|archive-date=12 November 2016}}</ref>

As of 2006, the total number of people working in Kweneng East in the agricultural sector was 12,740, 7,786 male and 4,954 female. There were 3,314 people in construction industry, 4,141 in education, 178 in electricity and water, 557 in finance, 531 in foreign mission, 269 in health industry, 2,088 in hotels and restaurants, 200 in local government, 578 in manufacturing, 1,358 in mining & quarrying 2,503 in other community services, 858 in private households, 504 in public administration, 6,142 in real estate, 25,969 in transport and communication industry and 2,484 wholesale industries. The total working population was 7,212 with 706 males and 296 females.<ref name=work>{{cite web|title=Labour Force by industry in Botswana, 2008|url=http://botswana.opendataforafrica.org/ksddimg/labour-force-by-industry-2008-botswana|year=2008|publisher=Central Statistics Office of Botswana|access-date=12 November 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113032721/http://botswana.opendataforafrica.org/ksddimg/labour-force-by-industry-2008-botswana|archive-date=13 November 2016}}</ref>

As of 2006, the total number of people working in Kweneng East in the agricultural sector was 7,212, 4,727 male and 2,484 female. There were 1,001 people in construction industry, 164 in education, 073 in electricity and water, 073 in finance, 250 in foreign mission, 228 in health industry, 064 in hotels and restaurants, 648 in local government, 11,963 in manufacturing, 5,309 in mining & quarrying 918 in other community services, 125 in private households, 45 in public administration, 458 in real estate, 756 in transport and communication industry and 435 wholesale industries. The total working population was 756 with 184 males and 219 females.<ref name=work/>

==Administration== {| style="clear:right; float:right; background:#ffffff; margin: 0 0 0.5em 1em;" class="toccolours" width="300" font-size : "90%" |+Populated places |- | '''Population''' || '''2001''' || '''2006''' || '''2011''' |'''2022''' |- | [[Mogoditshane]] | align="right" | 14,246 | align="right" | 46,493 | align="right" | 57,637 |88,006 |- | [[Molepolole]] | align="right" | | align="right" | 65,570 | align="right" | 67,598 |74,674 |- | [[Thamaga]] | align="right" | | align="right" | 21,141 | align="right" | 19,547 |25,297 |- | [[Gabane]] | align="right" | 10,399 | align="right" | 13,581 | align="right" | 14,842 |20,010 |- | [[Kopong]] | align="right" | 5,571 | align="right" | 7,999 | align="right" | 9,520 |13,816 |- |[[Metsimotlhabe]] | | | |11,589 |- | [[Letlhakeng]] | align="right" | 6,032 | align="right" | | align="right" | 7,229 |8,343 |}

Botswana gained independence from the [[British colonization of Africa|British]] in 1966 and adapted the colonial administration framework to form its district administration. The policies were modified during 1970-74 to address some of the basic issues.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Rural Development in Botswana: Administrative Structures and Public Policy|jstor=4190662|journal=The Journal of Developing Areas|first=Louis A. |last=Picard|year=1979|volume=13|issue=3|pages=283–300|publisher=Louis A. Picard}}</ref> The district is administered by a district administration and district council which are responsible for local administration. The policies for the administration are framed by the Ministry of Local Government. The major activities of the council are Tribal Administration, Remote Area Development and Local Governance. The executive powers of the council are vested on a commissioner appointed by the central government. Technical services wing of the Department of Local Government is responsible for developing roads, infrastructure in villages like water supply, schools and recreational facilities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Regional and Local government in Botswana|url=http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-botswana/government/regional_local_government/|publisher=Common Wealth of Nations|access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref> All the staff of the local administration expect District Administration are selected via Unified Local Government Services (ULGS) and the Ministry of Local Government is responsible for their training, deployment and career development.<ref>{{cite book|title=Local Democracy and Decentralization in East and Southern Africa: Experiences from Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, and Ethiopia|last=UN-HABITAT|year=2002|isbn=9789211316667|page=57|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NOk51jEot_EC&q=botswana+district+administration&pg=PA56}}</ref> Kweneng District has two census districts namely Kweneng East and Kweneng West.<ref>{{cite news|title=Botswana broken into 19 new sub-districts |url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=2&dir=2009/January/Thursday15|publisher=MMegi Online|access-date=11 November 2016|first=Monkagedi |last=Gaotlhobogwe}}</ref>

==See also== *[[Sub-districts of Botswana]]

==References== {{reflist|20em}}

==External links==

[[Category:Kweneng District| ]] [[Category:Districts of Botswana]]