Botswana Pula
The official currency in use today in Botswana is the pula. Each pula is then further divided into 100 thebe, making the pula a decimal currency.
The currency is identified on the international financial markets, by the letters BWP.
The coins are issued in the form of 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe and 1, 2 and 5 pula.
Notes are issued as 10, 20, 50 and 100 pula.
The currency is issued and regulated by the Bank of Botswana.
Interestingly, the currency is named after the Setswanian word for rain, due to the fact that there is so little rain in Botswana, since much of it is actually the Kalahari Desert. Pula also is used as a blessing, since to the people of the desert it is enormously valuable, so people will wish rain for each other. Thebe (the subdivision of the pula) translates as shield. So the currency is not just valuable in terms of money, it is also valuable in spiritual terms to the people of Botswana.
History of the Pula
The pula is a relatively new currency, having come into being in 1976. Prior to this the South African rand had been the currency used.
Despite some economic problems experienced in 2004-2005, when the pula was effectively devalued, it has since recovered and is actually one of the most buoyant currencies in Africa today, making it a strong currency in African terms.
Getting hold of pula
Botswana has a pretty vibrant economy with its two main staples, tourism and diamond mining. Whilst diamond mining is the more lucrative of the two, the government is also keen to ensure that tourists keep coming to Botswana and as a result it is relatively easy to acquire pula.
You will find ATM machines in most of the major towns and cities. However, if you have a Maestro card, then you should take travellers cheques, since it will not be possible to use a Maestro card in and ATM, since they only accept and can read Visa cards.
Botswana is a relatively safe country, but to ensure that your bank does not assume that your card has been stolen and therefore put a stop on it, it is best to notify your bank that your card will be used in Botswana, prior to travel.
Traveller's cheques are easy to cash and they will be accepted at a bank or a hotel and even at the airport. Credit cards will also be accepted, particularly in larger shops, but when paying for smaller items, it is worthwhile making sure that you have cash to be able to pay, since cards will not be accepted. This is also the case when in rural areas.
If you are taking British sterling to exchange for pula, then be aware that you will only be able to exchange English notes (i.e. notes issued by the Bank of England). If you have either Northern Irish or Scottish banknotes, then you will not be able to exchange them, due to the fact that the staff in banks are not familiar enough with the notes to know if they are genuine or not. They may indeed be legal tender in the UK, but there is no lawful obligation for them to be accepted, so just make sure that you have English notes.
Safety Tips
Botswana is actually a relatively safe country to visit. Each year around 5,000 British people visit Botswana and the vast majority of travellers have absolutely no problems at all, so it is safe to visit.
There are some issues however, that you need to be aware of. Increasingly there have been more serious crimes reported, but this simply means that you will need to take care and ensure that you do not put yourself at risk. Take care when you are out and about and ensure that you do not display valuables in an ostentatious fashion, which may tempt someone to relieve you of them. Care should lasso be taken when you are out and about at night.
Although Botswana is a relatively well off country, in African terms, it is a country that has been devastated by AIDS and HIV. It is estimated that around 25% of the population in Botswana are HIV+ and this figure is likely to keep on rising.
This has two effects on the country. First of all for everyone living with HIV or AIDS, they have dependents, or brothers, sisters, spouses etc and so this impacts on them. People may be unable to work due to being HIV+ and many families where there is a high incidence rate of HIV find it very hard to cope.
For people living with HIV life is also very hard and for a small minority, there may be a feeling that there is little left to lose, so crime is a viable option for them. Whilst this is not yet widespread, crime rates do often rise in countries where there is a great deal of disease, so simply take care and exercise basic safety precautions. If someone does attempt to steal any items from you, simply hand them over, since it is not worth taking the risk.
That being said, the incidence of violent crime is low in comparison to many countries and your risks will be much mower than if you were travelling to some more volatile countries.
Travellers should also be aware that there are some very strict laws in Botswana and you need to adhere to them. Homosexual 'practices' are unlawful in Botswana and whilst there is no problem with same sex couples travelling together, any overt displays of affection may cause not just offence, but also lead to your arrest. So refrain from any public displays of affection in public.
There is a zero tolerance approach to drugs in Botswana and if you are found with drugs, no matter how little prison will inevitably result and there are extremely harsh sentences for any drug use or drug smuggling. Even if it is tolerated in the UK for 'personal use' a completely different attitude will be displayed in Botswana. Due to the harshness of the sentences and the unpleasantness of the prisons, it really is not worth taking the risk. You may also find that your local consulate or embassy is less than impressed if you end up in prison for drugs and if you do have problems, then you need them on your side! So be mindful of this and if asked to carry anything into Botswana, no matter how genuine it sounds, you should always decline, just in case.
Healthcare: Healthcare is a complex business in Botswana and for this reason make sure that you have a good insurance policy. In some of the more rural areas, there is only very basic healthcare and if you need specialist treatment, then you may have to be airlifted to South Africa and then flown back to the UK when fit. Any insurance policy should cover these costs. A private hospital will simply not treat you unless you have the funds to pay. In addition, if you attend a private hospital as an outpatient, you will need to be able to pay before you are treated. Obviously this is when your insurance documents come in handy, so make sure that you travel with a copy of your documents, just in case. Whilst the risks of anything happening are not high, it is always worth being safe, rather than sorry.
Malaria is relatively common in the north of Botswana, so there is a real need to ensure that you take precautions against malaria, particularly since failure to do this may affect the validity of your insurance policy.
Spending Pula
Travelling to Botswana is not a cheap affair, if you really want to experience the best that this wonderful country has to offer. Although it is possible to get around Botswana using public transport or even hitch hiking, if you really want to see the most amazing wildlife, then you will need to go to a safari camp and to the more remote areas. This means that you will have to pay, since these are effectively the tourist 'hotpots' and are much more expensive, but often they are also just that little bit more luxurious, with camps offering excellent facilities.
You will, however, be furnished with an organised tour, where you can see the animals in all their glory and natural splendour. Some tourists may opt to hire a jeep, fully equipped with everything that they will need. However, this requires not just an amazing level of driving ability, but also an awareness of wildlife that most people simply do not have. So for safety's sake, it is probably better to spend those extra pula and make sure that you are safe and that there are no problems. But if you do have experience of Africa, difficult driving conditions and driving near very wild and often very large animals, then this could be the trip of a lifetime for you.
In Botswana you will that the wildlife is truly amazing and the wildlife generally are not restricted in where they can go, meaning that man and animals live together in relative harmony.
Buffaloes, rhinoceroses, elephants, leopards and tiny little meerkats can all be seen in Botswana with almost every living creature in between. This makes it a dream come true for anyone who enjoys seeing the natural power and grace of animals that are in their natural habitat.
Overview
Botswana has learnt that in order to survive, it must protect its wildlife and ensure that their habitat is maintained. This means that there is an emphasis on respecting animals and wildlife that is sadly lacking in many other countries. It is not a cheap destination, if you truly want to experience the magnificence of the country, but it is well worth the cost, given the spectacular sights to be seen.
For further information about Botswana and the type of experience that you can have, check out the Botswana official tourism site, at http://www.botswana-tourism.gov.bw where you can find information that is more independent than those that are simply trying to sell you a safari.
I’d never even heard of this currency until I watched a BBC programme on television a few months back that was set there. Suddenly I became more familiar with a currency that was completely new to me.
This article also reminded me about that programme, and it seemed to have given a good impression of Botswana. It isn’t somewhere I am ever likely to visit, but it doesn’t matter when you can visit through the TV or the internet, does it? I quite enjoy learning about all these different countries by reading these articles though – keep it up.
— CDixon · Jul 22, 12:40 PM · #