Botswana Districts and Subdistricts
Botswana operates a centralized administrative system designed to support governance, service delivery, and local development across the country. The territorial organization of the state is based on administrative divisions that combine districts, cities, and towns. These divisions are administered through local authorities, including district councils, city councils, and town councils, which function under the supervision of central government ministries.
As part of ongoing administrative reforms, Botswana’s internal divisions have evolved over time to reflect demographic growth, urbanization, and governance needs.
Current Administrative Divisions of Botswana
Botswana is presently divided into a total of 16 administrative divisions, consisting of:
- 10 administrative districts
- 2 city districts
- 4 towns
These divisions collectively cover the entire national territory and form the highest level of subnational administration.
List of Administrative Divisions
The 16 administrative divisions of Botswana are:
- Central District
- Chobe District
- Ghanzi District
- Kgalagadi District
- Kgatleng District
- Kweneng District
- North East District
- North West District
- South East District
- Southern District
- Francistown (city district)
- Gaborone (city district)
- Jwaneng (town)
- Lobatse (town)
- Selibe Phikwe (town)
- Sowa Town (town)
Each of these divisions is administered by a corresponding local authority, totaling 16 local authorities nationwide, which include district councils, city councils, and town councils.
Subdistricts of Botswana
In addition to the primary administrative divisions, Botswana is further subdivided into 11 sub-districts. These sub-districts exist mainly within larger districts to improve administrative efficiency, enhance service delivery, and bring government services closer to local communities. Sub-districts typically function as extensions of district councils and do not constitute separate administrative divisions at the national level.
Sub-districts are especially common in geographically large or densely populated districts such as Central, Kweneng, and Southern, where direct administration from a single district headquarters would be impractical.
Local Authorities and Governance
All administrative divisions are governed through local authorities, which include:
- District Councils for rural districts
- City Councils for major urban centers
- Town Councils for urban towns
These councils are responsible for local governance functions such as primary education infrastructure, local roads, community development, environmental health, and local planning, while operating within national policy frameworks.
Historical Development of Administrative Divisions
Administrative Divisions in 1977
In 1977, Botswana’s administrative divisions consisted of the following:
- Ngamiland
- Chobe
- Francistown
- Ngwato
- Tuli
- Ghanzi
- Kgalagadi
- Ngwaketse
- Kweneng
- Gaborone
- Lobatse
This structure reflected earlier historical and tribal administrative boundaries, many of which were rooted in pre-independence governance arrangements.
Administrative Reforms (2006–2014)
Significant administrative changes were implemented during the early 21st century:
- 2006:
- Chobe ceased to function as a separate administrative division.
- Ngamiland was renamed the North West District, reflecting a move toward standardized geographic naming.
- 31 March 2014:
- Chobe District was reinstated as a full administrative division.
- On the same date, several urban areas were formally recognized as administrative divisions:
- Francistown
- Gaborone
- Jwaneng
- Lobatse
- Selibe Phikwe
- Sowa Town
These reforms expanded the number of administrative divisions to the current total of 16 and strengthened local governance structures in rapidly growing urban centers.