Kgalagadi District

The Kgalagadi District is one of Botswana’s largest and most remote districts, located in the southwestern part of the country, along the borders with Namibia and South Africa.



It is named after the Kalahari Desert region (“Kgalagadi” meaning “land of thirst”), which dominates the landscape.



📍 Key facts

Capital (administrative center): Tsabong

Major settlements: Hukuntsi, Kang, Werda

Country: Botswana

Area: ~105,000 km² (very large, sparsely populated)

Population: ~50,000 (low density)

Time zone: Central Africa Time (UTC+2)

🌍 Geography & landscape

Mostly part of the Kalahari semi-desert

Flat to gently undulating terrain with red sand dunes, dry riverbeds, and scrub vegetation

Very little permanent surface water

Extreme temperatures: very hot summers and cold winter nights

🦁 Wildlife & conservation



A large portion of the district is taken up by the famous:



Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park



This is one of Africa’s major conservation areas, known for:



Lions (including black-maned Kalahari lions)

Gemsbok (oryx), springbok, wildebeest

Raptors and desert-adapted species

🏘️ Life in the district

Very rural and sparsely populated

Economy based on livestock farming, public services, and small-scale trade

Villages are far apart due to desert conditions

Tourism is important near the park areas

🧭 Why it matters



Kgalagadi is important because it:



Covers a huge part of Botswana’s southwest

Protects a major portion of the Kalahari ecosystem

Hosts one of the world’s largest transfrontier conservation parks