Map of Namibia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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: Southern Africa bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S 17 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries

Coastline: 1572 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 lithium cadmium zinc salt vanadium natural gas hydropower fish

Land use

Irrigated land: 60 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Geography


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Population: 1,771,327
Growth rate: 1.57% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: black 87.5% white 6% mixed 6.5%

Languages: English 7% (official) Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population German 32% indigenous languages: Oshivambo Herero Nama

Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least) indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.57% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 35.23 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 19.49 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 70.88 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic

Capital: Windhoek

Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi Erongo Hardap Karas Khomas Kunene Ohangwena Okavango Omaheke Omusati Oshana Oshikoto Otjozondjupa

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day 21 March (1990)

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB C CCC ECA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (subscriber) ITU NAM OAU OPCW SACU SADC UN UN Security Council (temporary) UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UPU WCL WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 that 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 extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead zinc tin silver and tungsten. Half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is four times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorer countries the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment the great inequality of income distribution and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. GDP growth should improve in 2000-01 because of gains in the diamond and fish sectors. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years which should stimulate long-run foreign investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: millet sorghum peanuts; livestock; fish

Industries: meat packing fish processing dairy products; mining (diamond lead zinc tin silver tungsten uranium copper)

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1994)

Labor force: 500,000
By occupation agriculture: 47%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation services: 28% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% to 40% including underemployment (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.5% (1999)

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: $1.4 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: diamonds copper gold zinc lead uranium; cattle processed fish karakul skins
Partners: UK 43% South Africa 26% Spain 14% France 8% Japan (1998 est.)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel machinery and equipment chemicals
Partners: South Africa 84% Germany US Japan (1995 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $159 million (1999 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Namibian dollars (N$) per US$1 - 6.12439 (January 2000) 6.10948 (1999) 5.52828 (1998) 4.60796 (1997) 4.29935 (1996) 3.62709 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 1.198 billion kWh (1999)
Consumption: 1.81 billion kWh (1999)
Exports: 56 million kWh (1999)
Imports: 890 million kWh (1999)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 100,848 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 20,000 (1998)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 4 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $90 million (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 2.6% (FY97/98)

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: 135 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River resolved by the ICJ in favor of Botswana (13 December 1999); at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs