A Diamond in the Ruff

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Did you know that in Africa there is a country with a lower unemployment rate than that in the USA?

In the USA it is only getting worse; 9.5% in 2009 and 9.8% in 2010 but in

Botswana, the rate stands at 7.5%. Thanks to the highest average economic growth rate in the world, averaging about 9.2% per year from 1966 to 1999, Botswana has created sustainable jobs for her people in a way you can’t imagine.

In 2003, unemployment in Botswana stood at over 40% v 7.5% now.

Year	Unemployment rate	Rank	Percent Change	Date of Information
2003	40.00 %	11		2001 est.
2004	40.00 %	12	0.00 %	2001 est.
2005	23.80 %	157	-40.50 %	2004 est.
2006	23.80 %	166	0.00 %	2004
2007	23.80 %	169	0.00 %	2004
2008	7.50 %	94	-68.49 %	2007 est.
2009	7.50 %	96	0.00 %	2007 est.
2010	7.50 %	70	0.00 %	2007 est.

According to an international corruption watchdog, Transparency International , Botswana is the least corrupt countries in Africa.

From the early 1980s, the country has been the world's largest producer of gem diamonds coupled with a significant portion of GDP being produced by agriculture (4%) and livestock farming.

Botswana has exploitable deposits in platinum, gold, and silver as well. Exploration for petroleum and natural gas deposits has been underway in western Botswana.

Since 2003, Botswana has been in the process of diversifying its economy, from mineral-dependent to sustainable development. Foreign direct investment is heavily incentivized in non-mining sectors of the economy, including light manufacturing, tourism, financial services, and pharmaceuticals