Gaborone, formerly Gaberones, city, capital of Botswana, southeastern Botswana, near the Ngotwane River. It is located on the railroad from South Africa to Zimbabwe. The city is primarily an administrative center with government offices but also has a small manufacturing sector that produces metal and wood items and beer. Located in Gaborone are the National Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Botswana (1976), and the Botswana Agricultural College (1967). The community was founded by the British South Africa Company in the 1890s as part of the Gaborone Block, originally reserved for white settlement. Gaborone remained a small town until the administrative seat of Bechuanaland (which became independent as Botswana in 1966) was transferred here in 1965 from Mafeking (now Mafikeng). Population (2003 estimate) 199,000.