Map of Namibia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 1,489 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Territorial sea: 6 nm

Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Elevation

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, lead, tin, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of coal and iron ore

Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 64% meadows and pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of South Africa; however, a South-West Africa Territorial Force (with an air element) was established 1 August 1980


top of page


Population: 1,372,475 (July 1989), growth rate 5.3% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Namibian(s; adjective - Namibian

Ethnic groups: 86% black, 6.5% white, 7.5% mixed; about half the blacks belong to Ovambo tribe

Languages: Afrikaans principal language of about 60% of white population, German of 33%, and English of 7% (all official; several indigenous languages

Religions: whites predominantly Christian, nonwhites either Christian or indigenous beliefs

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 45 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 10 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 18 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: inhospitable with very limited natural water resources; desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 72 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 57 years male, 62 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 100% whites, 16% nonwhites

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: former German colony of South-West Africa mandated to South Africa by League of Nations in 1920; UN formally ended South Africa's mandate on 27 October 1966, but South Africa has retained administrative control

Capital: Windhoek

Administrative divisions: 26 districts; Bethanien, Boesmanland, Caprivi Oos, Damaraland, Gobabis, Grootfontein, Hereroland Oos, Hereroland Wes, Kaokoland, Karasburg, Karibib, Kavango, Keetmanshoop, Luderitz, Maltanhohe, Mariental, Namaland, Okahandja, Omaruru, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Owambo, Rehoboth, Swakopmund, Tsumeb, Windhoek

Dependent areas

Independence: none (under South African administrative control)

National holiday: Settlers' Day, 10 December

Constitution: July 1987 (draft)

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal white adult suffrage at territorial level; lower level elections open to blacks

Executive branch: Head of Government South African Administrator General Louis A. PIENAAR (since 30 May 1985; note - South Africa's mandate to administer South West Africa (name changed to Namibia in June 1968), was ended by the UN General Assembly in October 1966; however South Africa is still in occupation of the territory

Legislative branch: NA

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: FAO, ILO, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none

Flag description: the flag of South Africa is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 40% of GDP, agriculture and fisheries 10-15%, and manufacturing about 5%. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten, and it has substantial resources of coal.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: livestock raising (cattle and sheep) predominates; subsistence crops (millet, sorghum, corn, and some wheat) are grown, but most food must be imported

Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 21% (1984)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $781 million; expenditures $932 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $889 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: diamonds, uranium, zinc, copper, meat, processed fish, karakul skins
Partners: South Africa

Imports: $842 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured consumer goods, machinery and equipment
Partners: South Africa, FRG, UK, US

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: South African rand (R) per US$1 - 2.3866 (January 1989), 2.2609 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2686 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 432,000 kW capacity; 856 million kWh produced, 660 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $64 million, 7% of central government budget (FY86)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 150 total, 135 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 67 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; South Africa will continue to administer Namibia until UN resolution 435 is implemented on 1 April 1989 and UN-sponsored independence elections are held 1 November 1989

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs