Botswana's history began with the formation of the baNgwato (BagammaNgwato) tribe in 1690. The Bechuanaland Protectorate was established by the British on 31 March 1885. No official banknotes were issued for the Bechuanaland Protectorate as they used the British Pound Sterling until 1971.

Bechuanaland was a very poor country from the 1880's until independence. Seretse Khama was the rightful heir to the Bechuanaland throne but he complicated his succession while he was studying in Britain by marrying Ruth Williams, a white British woman. As a result his uncle Tshekedi Khama who was the acting chieftain (King) refused to allow Seretse Khama to accede to the throne.

Seretse Khama and Lady Ruth were exiled in Britain by the British government but were eventually allowed  to return after Seretse confronted the British Administration with false reports about his competence to lead his nation. There were also looming issues with poaching companies mining on their land. 

Sir Seretse Khama returned to lead his country into independence as the Republic of Botswana and served as Prime Minister from 3.3.1965 - 30.9.1965, then as President from 30.9.1965 - 13.7.1980, when he died at age 59. Lady Ruth Williams Khama died on 22.5.2002 at the age of 78.

Since the late 1960s Botswana has gained in international stature as a peaceful and increasingly prosperous democratic state. It has had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, rising from one of the poorest to lower-middle income level. This new prosperity has been based on the mining of diamonds and other minerals, which have built up state revenues, and on the sale of beef to Europe and the world market. There has been extensive development of educational and health facilities, in villages and traditional rural towns as well as in rapidly growing new towns. But there has also been an increasing gap between classes of new rich and new poor.  _NP

On 1.4.2008 the son of Seretse Khama and Lady Ruth, Seretse Khama Ian Khama became the President of Botswana and continues to serve in that post today. He is also Kgosi (Chief) of the baNgwato(bamaNgwato) tribe. 1.3.2018