Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Botswana

See a list of abbreviations used in this list. See also our listing of current ecclesial jurisdictions.

1514: Funchal (established by the Portuguese, see footnote) - Portugal
1533: Goa (detached from Funchal) - India
1534: São Tomé (detached from Funchal) - São Tomé e Principe
1558: Cochin (detached from Goa) - India
1558: Malacca (detached from Goa) - Malaysia
1606: São Tomé of Meliapore (detached from Cochin) - India
1612: Moçambique (AA, detached from São Tomé of Meliapore) - (Portuguese East Africa) Mozambique
1712: Islands of the Indian Ocean (AP, detached from Malacca) - Indian Ocean
1772: Isle-de-France (AP, detached from Islands of the Indian Ocean AP) - Mauritius
1818: Cape of Good Hope and Adjacent Territories (AV, and new name, previously Isle-de-France AP, also territories from Moçambique [Prel.]) - Mauritius, Madagascar, South Africa, etc.
1819: Mauritius (AV, new name, previously Cape of Good Hope and Adjacent Territories AV) - Mauritius, Madagascar, South Africa, etc.
1837: Cape of Good Hope (AV, detached from Mauritius) - South Africa
1842: The Two Guineas and Senegambia (AP, detached from Funchal, and from São Tomé) - West African coast between the Senegal River and the Oranje River, except Loanda/Angola
1846: The Two Guineas and Senegambia (AV) - West African coast from the Senegal River to the Orange River, except Loanda / Angola
1847: Cape of Good Hope - Eastern District (AV, new name, previously Cape of Good Hope) - South Africa
1850: Natal (AV, detached from Cape of Good Hope - Eastern District) - (Natal) South Africa
1863: Gabon (AV, new name, previously the Two Guineas and Senegambia AV) - West African coast from Guinea to the Oranje River, except Angola
1879: Cimbebasia (AP, detached from Gabon AV) - Angola, Namibia
1879: Zambesi (Mission "sui iuris", detached from Natal AV) - (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia) Zimbabwe
1886: Kimberley in Orange (AP, detached from Cape of Good Hope - Eastern District AV, and from Natal AV) - South Africa
1892: Lower Cimbebasia in Portuguese Angola (AP, detached from Cimbebasia AP) - Namibia
1915: Zambesi (AP) - (Southern Rhodesia) Zimbabwe
1918: Kimberley in South Africa (AP, new name, previously Kimberley in Orange AP) - South Africa
1921: Cimbebasia (AV and new name, previously Lower Cimbebasia in Portuguese Angola AP) - Namibia
1926: Windhoek (AV, new name, previously Cimbebasia AV) - Namibia
1927: Salisbury (AP, new name, previously Zambesi AP) - (Southern Rhodesia) Zimbabwe
1931: Bulawayo (Mission "sui iuris", detached from Salisbury) - (Southern Rhodesia) Zimbabwe
1932: Bulawayo (AP) - (Southern Rhodesia) Zimbabwe
1951: Kimberley (D, and new name, previously Kimberley in South Africa AP) - South Africa
1959: Bechuanaland (AP, detached from Kimberley, from Bulawayo, and from Windhoek) - Botswana
1966: Gaberones (D, and new name, previously Bechuanaland AV) - Botswana
1970: Gaborone (new name, previously Gaberones) - Botswana
1998: Francistown (AV, detached from Gaborone) - Botswana