External debt: $700 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 16.8% (FY86)
Electricity: 217,000 kW capacity; 630 million kWh produced, 510 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: livestock processing; mining of diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; tourism
Agriculture: accounts for only 5% of GDP; subsistence farming predominates; cattle raising supports 50% of the population; must import large share of food needs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $242 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $43 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $24 million
Currency: pula (plural—pula); 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1—1.8734 (January 1990), 2.0125 (1989), 1.8159 (1988), 1.6779 (1987), 1.8678 (1986), 1.8882 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Railroads: 712 km 1.0 67-meter gauge