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

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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. Independence came in 1990.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 3,935 km total; Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 966 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline: 1,489 km

Maritime claims

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, gold, 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: the South-West Africa Territorial Force, established in 1980, was demobilized in June 1989; a new national defense force will probably be formed by the new government


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Population: 1,452,951 (July 1990), growth rate 5.6% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Namibian(s; adjective--Namibian

Ethnic groups: 86% black, 6.5% white, 7.5% mixed; about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% from the Kavangos tribe

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

Religions: predominantly Christian

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 46 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 10 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 20 migrants/1000 population (1990)

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: 71 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 57 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1990)

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


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Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia

Government type: republic as of 21 March 1990

Capital: Windhoek

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 March 1990

National holiday: Settlers' Day, 10 December

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990)

Legislative branch: NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: FAO, IAEA, ILO, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: NA

Flag description: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section, and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe which is contrasted by two narrow white edge borders

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 35% 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: accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing; mostly subsistence farming; livestock raising major source of cash income; crops--millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled, 1987 catch reaching only 520,000 metric tons; not self-sufficient in food

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: over 30% (1988)

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: $935 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: diamonds, uranium, zinc, copper, meat, processed fish, karakul skins
Partners: South Africa

Imports: $856 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured consumer goods, machinery and equipment
Partners: South Africa, FRG, UK, US

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: about $27 million at independence; under a 1971 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Namibia may not be liable for debt incurred during its colonial period

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: South African rand (R) per US$1--2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)


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Electricity
Capacity: 486,000 kW capacity; 1,280 million kWh produced, 930 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 4.9% of GNP (1986)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 143 total, 123 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 63 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; possible future claim to South Africa's Walvis Bay

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs