Tswana (Motswana, plural Batswana) is the name of a Southern African people. The Tswana language, also called Setswana, belongs to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo languages. Ethnic Batswana make up a majority of the population of Botswana. However, the term "Batswana" is sometimes used simply to mean citizens of Botswana, and can include Khoisan people, white people and others. Tswana (Setswana), is a Bantu language. ... Tswana (Setswana), is a Bantu language. ... Khoisan (increasingly commonly spelled Khoesan or Khoe-San) is the name for two major ethnic groups of southern Africa. ...

In the nineteenth century, a common spelling and pronunciation of Batswana was Bechuana. Europeans therefore referred to the area inhabited by the Batswana as Bechuanaland. In Setswana, however, Botswana is the correct name for the place of Batswana. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bechuanaland Protectorate (BP) was a protectorate established in 1885 by Britain in the area of what is now Botswana. ...

Dynasties and tribes

Botswana

The modern republic of Botswana (formerly the British protectorate Bechuanaland) is thus named for the Tswana people. Seven of the country's eight 'major' clans speak Setswana, the exception being the baMalete or Balete, which speak a Nguni dialect. All have a traditional Paramount Chief, styled Kgôsikgolo, who is entitled to a seat in the House of chiefs. The Tswana dynasties are all related, and some have known splits into two or three competing lines. The Bechuanaland Protectorate (BP) was a protectorate established in 1885 by Britain in the area of what is now Botswana. ... Bamalete, or baMalete, is the traditional name of a Southern African Bantu tribe, that tends to prefer the modern name Balete In Botswana, where they occupy a permanent territory since circa 1780, officially recognized as a tribal reserve in 1909, they are the only one of the eight major tribes... A HOUSE OF CHIEFS is an assembly, either legislative or advisory, that is neither representative (by general elections) nor simply appointed and/or filled ex officio, but consists of all or part of the traditional leaders, known as Chiefs, of a country or polity. ...

The principal Tswana clans are the:

• Barôlông
• Bakwêna
• Bangwaketse
• Bamangwato
• Batawana
• Batlôkwa
• Bakgatla
• Balete

The Bamangwato (more correctly BagammaNgwato) people are one of the eight principal tribes of Botswana. ... BALETE is 1- the modern name of choice of a Southern African Bantu tribe, traditionally named baMalete - see that article. ...

South Africa

The largest number of ethnic Batswana people actually live in South Africa. They are one of the larger black minorities, and Setswana is one of the eleven official languages nationwide. Until 1994, South African Tswana people were notionally citizens of Bophuthatswana, one of the few bantustans that actually became reality as planned by the Apartheid regime. Bophuthatswana as of 1977 Flag of Bophuthatswana bantustan Bophuthatswana was a former Bantustan (homeland) in the north of South Africa. ... Map of the black homelands in South Africa as of 1986 Map of the black homelands in Namibia as of 1978 Bantustan is a territory designated as a tribal homeland for black South Africans and Namibians during the apartheid era. ...

The Chiefs of the following Batswana polities are all styled Kgôsi (less lofty then Kgôsikgolo):

• Batlhaping (The fish people), split before 1800 into
  • Batlhaping Bagaphuduhudu
  • Batlhaping Bagaphuduhutswane (further split in four, later five, dynastic lines).
• Batlôkwa (the wild-cat people)
• Barôlông Barratlou, split into
  • Barôlông Barratlou Boomariba (further split in two dynastic lines)
  • Barôlông Barratlou Booseitshiro
• Barôlông Baseleka
• Barôlông Barrapulana
• Bahurutse (split before 1800 into two nameless ruling lines, the second of which split again into Bahurutse ba Boomokgatlha and Bahurutse Bagamoilwa, and later further split). The name may historically have been written Bahhurutshe.

Elsewhere

In Namibia and Zimbabwe the Batswana don’t constitute any significant polity.

Livestock

Tswana is also the name of some breeds of animal originating in Botswana.

Cattle 

Tswana (cattle)

Ass  

The Tswana donkey is used for draught power purposes.

Tswana is an indigenous beef cattle breed of Botswana. ...

References

• WorldStatesmen website on political and administrative entities, per present state