Gaborone

24°45S 25°55E, pop (2000e) 165 900. Independent township and capital of Botswana, S Africa; altitude 1000 m/3300 ft; area 97 km²/37 sq mi; WNW of Pretoria (South Africa); capital moved there from Mafeking, 1965; airport; a campus of University of Botswana and Swaziland; light industry, textiles, trade, services.

One of Africa's fastest-growing cities, Gaborone lies in the flat valley between Kgale and Oodi hills, on the Notwane River in the south eastern corner of Botswana, and 15 km from the South African border.

Before 1969, the city was known as Gaberones. When the Protectorate became independent, Botswana needed a capital city within its territory; earlier it had been thought Lobatse might serve as capital but it was decided that it would be too limited, and instead a new capital city would be created adjacent to Gaberones, a small colonial administrative settlement. The original name, Gaberones, is from from Gaborone's Village, following the early practice of referring to African tribal capitals by the name of the chief, in this case Chief Kgosi Gaborone of the BaTlokwa, whose village, now called Tlokweng, was just across a river from the "Government Camp" (colonial government headquarters).

The centre of the city was constructed in three years, including Assembly buildings, government offices, a power station, a hospital, schools, a radio station, a telephone exchange, police stations, a post office, and more than 1,000 houses.

Gaborone was, for many years, the fastest growing city in the world, and even now, is still considered the fastest growing city in Africa[]. Every year, the majority of the country's infrastructural budget goes towards improving this city's roads, buildings, and services. The modernist city is surrounded by lower-rise development that has not been subject to the same planning as the city's centre.

The new city has a relatively good water supply, which has facilitated growth. It was originally planned as a relatively small town, and its rapid development has necessitated construction of a larger city dam to provide an adequate water supply.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has its headquarters in Gaborone;

Gaborone's airport, Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, is Botswana's primary international airport.