 Botswana 's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months. Rainfall tends to be erratic, unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometers away there is no rain at all. Showers are often followed by strong sunshine so that a good deal of the rainfall does not penetrate the ground but is lost to evaporation and transpiration. ' Pula ', one of the most frequently heard words, it is not only the name of Botswana's currency, but also the Setswana word for rain. So much of what takes place relies on this essential, frequently scarce commodity
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