Ethnos

Batswana

The Batswana (singular Motswana) in Southern Africa speak the Tswana language which is also known as Setswana. The largest number of Batswana live in South Africa, and until 1994 were notionally citizens of the bantustan of Bophuthatswana.

Batswana also constitute the majority population of Botswana, and the word is sometimes used to cover all citizens of Botswana.

In the 19th century, a common spelling and pronunciation was Bechuana, and the area where they lived was known as Bechuanaland. ***