Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa with a population of 1.7 million. It is also a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). When it gained independence from the British in 1966, it was the 25th least developed country; but through its fortuitous discovery of diamonds and the development of its beef industry, it has transformed itself into a democratic country with a vibrant economy. The gross domestic product has grown by 6% per annum and the government has given high priority to education in all of its development plans. The number of primary and secondary schools throughout the country has increased rapidly. Primary education is compulsory and by and large free. A 1998 the Gender Empowerment Measure of the United Nations Development Program gave Botswana a ranking of 48 out of 174 countries, and a 1997 government survey showed that only 25.7% of administrators and managers were female (the female population is over 51%).
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