Jwaneng is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
located in the
Southern District of
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...
, but it is not part of this, being a separate district, with its own Town Council.
History
The town was formed around the
Jwaneng diamond mine
The Jwaneng diamond mine is the richest diamond mine in the world, and also the second largest in the world. It is nicknamed "the Prince of Mines", and is located in south-central Botswana about southwest of the city of Gaborone.
Jwaneng mean ...
, considered the richest in the world in terms of its content of gem-quality diamonds. At its inception it was a 'closed town', meaning that in order to live there permission was needed from the owners of the mine,
Debswana
Debswana Diamond Company Limited, or simply Debswana, is a mining company located in Botswana, and is the world's leading producer of diamonds by value. Debswana operates four diamond mines in the eastern and central parts of Botswana, as well ...
.
In 2015, Jwaneng had 13,162 residents. It was identified as the second richest village in Botswana, with a poverty rate of less than 3%.
Transportation
The town and the mine are served by the
Jwaneng Airport
Jwaneng Airport is an airport serving Jwaneng, a town in the Southern District of Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately ...
.
Sport
As of 2023,
Jwaneng Galaxy F.C. are the reigning champions of the
Botswana Premier League
The Botswana Premier League is the highest level Association football, football league in Botswana. Organised by the Botswana Football Association, the league was formed in 1978 to replace the pre-independence Bechuanaland Union African Soccer L ...
.
See also
*
Jwaneng Solar Power Station
The Jwaneng Solar Power Station is a solar power station, under development in Botswana. Two Chinese companies and one Botswana independent power producer (IPP) formed a consortium that owns the project. Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), th ...
References
Populated places in Botswana
Southern District (Botswana)
{{Botswana-geo-stub