Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country situated in Southern Africa. It is characterized by vast, semi-arid savannas, much of which is covered by the Kalahari Desert. The nation is bordered by Namibia to the west and north, South Africa to the south and southeast, and Zambia and Zimbabwe to the east. With a population of approximately 2.4 million people and an area of 582,000 km², Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated and resource-rich nations in the region.