White people in Botswana

White people in Botswana are Botswana people whose ancestry lies within the continent of Europe, most notably the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

White people in Botswana
Total population
67,500
Regions with significant populations
Gaborone, Francistown, Ghanzi, Serowe, Lobatse
Languages
English, Greek, Serbian, Afrikaans
Religion
Predominantly Christianity
Related ethnic groups
White people in Zambia, White people in Zimbabwe, White South Africans

Currently, White Africans are a minority ethnic group in Botswana, accounting for a little more than 3% of the country's population.[1] The White population usually speak Afrikaans as well as other European languages, most notably English.

History

European people began to immigrate into what is today the nation of Botswana in the 19th century, starting with the Boer people. The Dorsland Trek in the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw thousands of Boer families migrate from South Africa to present-day Namibia by way of Botswana. Many families stayed, especially in Ghanzi, which is in the Kalahari Desert. White Tswana people come from a variety of backgrounds, including families of British, Boer, German and Greek descent.

Additionally, there is a fairly significant Serbian community in the country, mainly families of immigrants from Yugoslavia who came beginning in the 1950s. There is a Serbian Society in Gaborone, which regularly hosts a variety of cultural events. In 2016 construction began on the first Serbian Orthodox church in Botswana, the St. Nicholas Church.[2] The St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church also operates in Gaborone.[3]

There are a very few families with ancestors from the Back to Africa movement.

Notable people

See also

References and footnotes
  1. "CIA - The World Factbook -- Botswana". CIA. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  2. “Corner-Stone for a new Orthodox Church in Botswana.” Regular Session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church Begins | Serbian Orthodox Church [Official Web Site], Serbian Orthodox Church, 25 Nov. 2016, www.spc.rs/eng/cornerstone_first_orthodox_church_botswana.In-text Citation
  3. “History of Serbs in Botswana.” Saint Sava Botswana, Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Gaborone, Botswana, www.saintsavabotswana.org/history-of-serbs-in-botswana.
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