It's September 30th, the Republic of Botswana's Independence Day, commonly called Boipuso. Today we commemorate Botswana's Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on September 30, 1966, with fireworks, parades, fairs, picnics, concerts, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and other events celebrating Botswana's proud heritage, history, and traditions.

Since independence, Botswana has been governed by a representative republic, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections and the lowest perceived corruption ranking in Africa since at least 1998.

Botswana is an upper middle income country, with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, dominated by mining, cattle, and tourism. Its relatively high gross national income per capita give it a high standard of living and the highest Human Development Index of Sub-Saharan Africa.