14 August 2012 Last updated at 05:37 ET

Botswana profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

Botswana has a long tradition of lively and unimpeded public debate, although opposition leaders have claimed that the government limits their ability to broadcast freely on the radio.

The constitution provides for freedom of expression and the government generally respects this right. There is a "free and vigorous" press in cities and towns, says US-based NGO Freedom House.

State-run TV arrived with the launch of Botswana Television (BTV) in 2000. Satellite pay TV is available.

Radio is an important medium. Press circulation is mostly limited to urban areas.

There were around 167,000 internet users by December 2011 (Internetworldstats.com).

The press

• Daily News - government-owned
• Botswana Guardian - weekly
• Botswana Gazette - weekly
• Mmegi/The Reporter - private daily
• Sunday Standard - weekly
• The Midweek Sun - weekly
• The Voice - weekly

Television

• Botswana TV - state-run
• eBotswana - private, commercial

Radio

• Radio Botswana - state-run, programmes in English and Setswana, also operates commercial FM station Radio Botswana 2 (RB2)
• Yarona FM - private
• Gabz FM - private
• Duma FM - private