Most of the protected areas (PAs) are located in northern and western Botswana. As a result, the country’s population density is only 3.5 persons per km2. The annual population growth has slowed down rapidly over the last few decades, because of declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Annual population growth is currently estimated at 1.9 per cent compared with 2.4 per cent in 2001 and 3.5 per cent in 1991 (SB 2011a, b, 2012).