The south-eastern region of the country carries the greatest weight of the population. This is understandable because it has been the most ecologically endowed region with comparatively good rainfall, soils, a well-developed physical infrastructure and socio-economic facilities. To a lesser degree, in the far northern parts, Francistown and the peri-urban centres of Serowe, Palapye and Mahalapye provide a relatively similar degree of development, giving the eastern belt a marked distinction from the rest of the country.
But it is the south-east region that hosts large commercial enterprises and nation-serving industries. The region includes the urban villages of Molepolole (Africa's largest traditional village), Kanye, Mochudi, Ramotswa, Moshupa and Thamaga in which there is intermediate level commerce, administration, socio-economic services and labour-intensive projects. From the south-east region, we decline to what planners refer to as the country's downward traditional areas that are characterised by deteriorating natural resource base, absolute poverty, the highest mortality rates and least life expectancy. This is where we find the so-called Rural Area Dwellers who merit aggressive affirmative action in every respect. Planners have pointed to these as carrying the hope of playing a critical role in reversing the polarisation between the east/south-east region(s) of Botswana and the rest of the country, and thus relieve Greater Gaborone of its extremely high population density.
