Setswana and English are the national languages. There are 31 languages spoken in Botswana, but 70-80% of the people speak Setswana. The other languages spoken are Kalanga, Sekgalagadi and Herero. Additionally, the first people found in Botswana speak various Khoisan languages, like San and Gwi. Some of these languages have a significant clicking component when speaking. You will also hear Tswana, which is a South African dialect similar to Setswana, but with notable differences. South Africa is the neighboring country to the south of Botswana, and Zulu is a common language spoken there among many others. There are also many emigrants in my village from Zimbabwe who speak Shona.
The national currency is call the Pula. This is also the word for rain, as rain is of high value in an arid desert. Just like with dollars, the description for the cost of something is 1 Pula for the cost of an orange or lemon. The equivalent to the pennies or cents is the Thebi. There are 100 Thebi for every Pula. Currently, every 1 US Dollar converts to being worth about 13.5 Pula.
