A republic in southern Africa, between NAMIBIA and ZAMBIA. It was formerly called Bechuanaland. Its capital is Gaborone. The Kalahari Desert is in the west and southwest. Botswana was organized as a British protectorate in 1885 and became independent in 1966. The name comes from bo, the prefix for abstract nouns + Tswana, the people themselves. Bechuana in its earlier name is the English corruption of Botswana. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p185 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p74).