Gaborone

For the Libyan oasis, see Gaberoun.

Gaborone
Capital city
Gaborone Central Business District (2020) Botswana Parliament Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Gaborone National Museum Gaborone Dam
Flag
Nicknames:  Gabs, GC, Gabz, G-City, Mageba, Moshate
Interactive map of Gaborone
Gaborone Location within Botswana Gaborone Location within Africa
Coordinates: 24°39′29″S 25°54′44″E
Country	Botswana
Founded	1964
Named for	Kgosi Gaborone
Government
• Type	City commission government
• Body	Gaborone City Council
• Mayor	Oarabile Motlaleng (UDC)
• Deputy Mayor	Mankie Sekete (UDC)
Area
• Capital city	169 km2 (65 sq mi)
Elevation	1,014 m (3,327 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Capital city	246,325
• Density	1,460/km2 (3,780/sq mi)
• Metro	534,842
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (CAT)
Geographical area code	3XX
ISO 3166 code	BW-SE
HDI (2019)	0.820 very high
Website	Gaborone City Council Website

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Gaborone (UK: /ˌɡæbəˈroʊni, ˌhæb-/ GAB-ə-ROH-nee, HAB-, US: /ˌɡɑːbəˈroʊni, -neɪ/ GAH-bə-ROH-nee, -⁠nay, Tswana: [χabʊˈrʊnɛ]) is the capital and largest city of Botswana. It was formerly spelled as Gaberones during the colonial era, a name occasionally used in older English texts and maps. With a population of 246,325 based on the 2022 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its metropolitan area is home to 534,842 inhabitants at the 2022 census.

Gaborone is situated between Kgale Hill and Oodi Hill, near the confluence of the Notwane River and Segoditshane River in the southeastern corner of Botswana, within 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the South African border. The city is served by the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. It is an administrative district in its own right, but is the capital of the surrounding South-East District. Locals often refer to the city as GC or Motse-Mshate.

The city of Gaborone is named after Chief Gaborone of the Tlokwa people, who once controlled land nearby. Because it was not affiliated with any specific indigenous group and was close to fresh water, the city was planned to be the capital in the mid-1960s when the Bechuanaland Protectorate became an independent nation. The centre of the city comprises a long strip of commercial businesses, called "Main Mall", with a semi-circular area of government offices to its east. Gaborone was once one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and this has created problems with housing and illegal settlements. The city also dealt with conflicts spilling into the country from Zimbabwe and South Africa during the 1980s.

Gaborone is the political and economic capital of Botswana, home to its largest companies and the Botswana Stock Exchange. It also serves as the headquarters of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The main spoken languages in the city include Setswana (Tswana), English, Kalanga, and Kgalagadi.