town, capital of Botswana. The seat of government was transferred there from Mafeking (now spelled Mafikeng), South Africa, in 1965, one year before Botswana became independent of Britain. Gaborone is located on the Cape-Zimbabwe railway and is the site of government offices, parliament buildings, health facilities, a thermal power station, and an airport. It is the seat of the University of Botswana (founded 1976), and it also has a national museum and art gallery (1968), which includes departments of natural history, archaeology, and prehistory. Pop. (2001) 186,007.