Official Name
Republic of Namibia
Capital Windhoek
Currencies Namibian dollar
Language(s) English
Population 1.8 million
GNP per head (US$) 2030
Area (square kilometres) 823290
Population per sq. km 2
Population per sq. mile 6


COUNTRY INFORMATION

Introduction

Located in southwestern Africa, Namibia has an arid coastal strip formed by the Namib Desert. After many years of guerrilla warfare, Namibia won independence from South Africa in 1990. Despite the move away from apartheid, Namibia's economy remains reliant on the expertise of the small white population, a legacy of the previously poor education for blacks. Namibia is Africa's fourth-largest minerals producer.



Climate

Namibia is almost rainless. The coast is usually shrouded in thick, cold fog unless the hot, very dry berg blows.



People
Languages Ovambo, Kavango, English, Bergdama, German
URBAN/RURAL POPULATION DIVIDE
Urban 31
% Rural 69
%

The largest ethnic group, the Ovambo, tend to live in the sparsely populated north of the country. Whites – 60% of whom speak Afrikaans – are concentrated in Windhoek. The capital is also home to a wealthy century-old German community. Namibia's original inhabitants, the San and Khoi (once called Bushmen) now constitute a tiny, marginalized minority.

The ethnic strife predicted in 1990 has not materialized. For the most part, black Namibians, predominantly subsistence farmers, have accepted the greater wealth of the white community. Families are large in Namibia; many black women have six or more children. The constitution supports gender equality and discriminates in favor of women; few, however, have official jobs or own property. Homosexuality is not tolerated.



Economy
GNP (US$) 3569
M GNP World rank 126
 
Inflation 9 % Unemployment 40 %

Strengths

Varied mineral resources. Market conditions attractive to private investors. Rich fishing grounds. Potential of Walvis Bay as conduit for landlocked neighbors. Low external debt.

Weaknesses

Most goods imported. Fluctuations in mineral prices. Recessionary ripple effect of currency pegged to South African rand. Lack of skilled labor; high unemployment. Severe drought in 1996.



Politics
Lower house Last election 1999 Next election 2004
Upper house Last election 1998 Next election 2004

SWAPO guerrillas fought for and won independence from South Africa in 1990. Namibia switched from a system of apartheid to a state-wide, multiparty democracy. The center-left SWAPO has dominated politically ever since. In 1998 a constitutional amendment allowed President Nujoma to run for a third term, which he duly won in late 1999. SWAPO's main opposition comes from the center-right DTA, a coalition of 11 parties favoring free-market practices.



International Affairs
 

In 1992, South Africa settled its border dispute with Namibia, and in 1994 relinquished control of the enclave of Walvis Bay – Namibia's only deepwater port. South Africa has also written off Namibia's earlier debts. Withdrawal of Namibian troops from the war-torn DRC began in 2001.



Defence
Expenditure (US$) 103 M Portion of GDP 4 %
Army Some main battle tanks (T-34, T-54/55)
Navy 2 patrol boats
Airforce 2 combat aircraft (MiG-23)
Nuclear capab. None

Fishing grounds are patrolled to prevent raids by foreign trawlers. Soldiers performed a peacekeeping role in the DRC.



Resources
Minerals Uranium, lead, gold, cadmium, oil, copper, diamonds, zinc, silver
Oil reserves (barrels) No data Oil production (barrels/day) Not an oil producer

Namibia has abundant uranium, lead, and cadmium resources. Hydroelectric power and offshore diamond mining have huge potential. The Okavango river system carries more water than all South Africa's rivers combined. Large oil deposits were discovered in 2000.



Environment
Protected land 13 % Part protected land No data %
Environmental trends

Illegal poaching and the presence of anthrax threaten the unique Namibian desert-adapted elephant (fewer than 50 remain) and the black rhino. Vast expanses of the fragile, unspoiled Namib and Kalahari Desert ecosystems are protected. The government is generally sensitive to environmental issues (the annual seal cull to protect fish stocks is an exception) and wishes to attract ecotourists rather than invest in mass-market developments.



Communications
Main airport Windhoek International Passengers per year 481419
Motorways 0
km Roads 5250
km Railways 2382
km

Large-scale industry is well served by road and rail. Plans exist to build a new harbor at Walvis Bay.



International Aid
Donated (US$) Not applicable
M Received (US$) 152
M

The UN provides most aid; Germany is the main unilateral donor. Around one-third of aid is spent on education.



Health
Life expectancy 45 Life expect. World rank 176
Population per doctor 3333 Infant mortality (per 1000 births) 62
Expend. % GDP 3 %
Principal causes of death AIDS, respiratory, heart, and intestinal diseases

Preventive care and rural health care have top priority. Most areas lack safe water. AIDS is the leading cause of death.



Education
Literacy 82 % Expend. % GNP 8

%

PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION IN FULL TIME EDUCATION
Primary 100 % Secondary 59 % Tertiary 7 %

Nearly 90% of children attend primary school, but illiteracy among black adults remains a legacy of apartheid.



Criminality
Crime rate trend Down 51% in 1999
Prison population 4397
Murder 26 per 100,000 population
Rape 37 per 100,000 population
Theft 215 per 100,000 population

Burglary and theft are rising, particularly in urban areas. Ostrich smuggling to the USA is common.



Wealth
Cars 47 per 1,000 population
Telephones 63 per 1,000 population
Televisions 38 per 1,000 population

Gross disparities in wealth persist throughout Namibia: the top 1% of households consumes as much as the poorest 50%.



Media
Newspapers There are 4 daily newspapers, including The Namibian and Die Republikein
TV services 2 independent services
Radio services 5 independent services


Tourism
Visitors per year 614000

Tourists, largely from South Africa, make a very limited contribution to GDP. German tourists come to see Windhoek's German sector. There are plans to limit tourists to 300,000 a year to preserve Namibia's fragile desert ecology.



History

In 1915, South Africa took over the former German colony as a League of Nations' mandate known as South West Africa.

  • 1966 Apartheid laws imposed. SWAPO begins armed struggle.
  • 1968 Renamed Namibia.
  • 1973 UN recognizes SWAPO.
  • 1990 Independence.
  • 1994 South Africa relinquishes Walvis Bay.
  • 1999 President Sam Nujoma wins third term.