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 South-West Africa 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 became 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. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990 though the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. Prime Minister Hage GEINGOB was elected president in November 2014 in a landslide victory replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the November 2014 elections and established a system of gender parity in parliamentary positions.


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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
Total: 824,292 km²
Land: 823,290 km²
Water: 1002 km²
Rank: 34
Comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries
Total: 4,220 km
Border countries: (4) Angola 1427 km; Botswana 1544 km; South Africa 1005 km; Zambia 244 km

Coastline: 1572 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: desert; hot dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources: diamonds copper uranium gold silver lead tin lithium cadmium tungsten zinc salt hydropower fish
Note: suspected deposits of oil coal and iron ore

Land use
Agricultural land: 47.2%
Forest: 8.8%
Other: 44%

Irrigated land: 75.73 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 17.72 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Geography
Note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip


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Population: 2,212,307
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 143
Growth rate: 0.59% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 151
Below poverty line: 28.7% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Namibian
Adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups: black 87.5% white 6% mixed 6.5%
Note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7% Damara 7% Nama 5% Caprivian 4% Bushmen 3% Baster 2% Tswana 0.5%

Languages: Oshiwambo languages 48.9% Nama/Damara 11.3% Afrikaans 10.4% (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population) Otjiherero languages 8.6% Kavango languages 8.5% Caprivi languages 4.8% English (official) 3.4% other African languages 2.3% other 1.7%
Note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 Indo-European languages

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.95%
15-24 years: 23.11%
25-54 years: 36.57%
55-64 years: 4.88%
65 years and over: 4.49% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 67.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 61.4%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.9%
Potential support ratio: 17%

Median age
Total: 23.1 years
Male: 23.1 years
Female: 23.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.59% (2015 est.)
Rank: 151

Birth rate: 19.8 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 85

Death rate: 13.91 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 8

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 86

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 46.7% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.16% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: WINDHOEK (capital) 368,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male/female
25-54 years: 1.09 male/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 1.02 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 45.62 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 48.48 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 42.67 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 44

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 51.62 years
Male: 52.05 years
Female: 51.18 years
Rank: 220

Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 101

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 55.1% (2006/07)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.37 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 15.97% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 6
People living with hivaids: 245,400 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 24
Deaths: 5,100 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 31

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.8% (2014)
Rank: 133

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 13.2% (2013)
Rank: 37

Education expenditures: 8.5% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 9

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 81.9%
Male: 79.2%
Female: 84.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
Conventional short form: Namibia
Local long form: Republic of Namibia
Local short form: Namibia
Former: German South-West Africa South-West Africa

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Windhoek
Geographic coordinates: 22 34 S 17 05 E
Time difference: UTC+1
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Administrative divisions: 14 regions; Erongo Hardap //Karas Kavango East Kavango West Khomas Kunene Ohangwena Omaheke Omusati Oshana Oshikoto Otjozondjupa Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day 21 March (1990)

Constitution: drafted 9 February 1990 signed 16 March 1990 entered into force 21 March 1990; amended 1998 2010 (2010)

Legal system: mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Hage GEINGOB ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Hage GEINGOB ; Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly
Electionsappointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 27-28 November 2009 (next to be held on 28 November 2014)
Election results: Hage GEINGOB elected president; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB 86.7% McHenry VENAANI (DTA) 5.0% Hidipo HAMUTENYA (RDP) 3.4% Asser MBAI (NUDO)1.9% Henk MUDGE (RP) 1.0% other 2.0%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly and the National Council which primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly (26 seats; members indirectly elected 2 each by the 13 regional councils to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 26-27 November 2010 ; National Assembly - last held on 28 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2019)
Election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 24 UDF 1 DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 80.0% DTA 4.8% RDP 3.5% APP 2.3% UDF 2.1% NUDO 2.0% CPN 1.5% other 3.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 77 DTA 5 RDP 3 APP 2 UDF 2 NUDO 2 CPN 2 SWANU 1 UPM 1 RP 1

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65 but can be extended by the president until age 70
Subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C CD CPLP (associate observer) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OPCW SACU SADC UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNISFA UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martin ANDJABA
In the us chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 986-0540
In the us FAX: [1] 986-0443
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas Frederick DAUGHTON
From the us embassy: 14 Lossen Street Windhoek
From the us mailing address: Private Bag 12,029 Ausspannplatz Windhoek
From the us telephone: [264] 295-8,500
From the us FAX: [264] 295-8,603

Flag description: a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green; red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all; white stands for peace unity tranquility and harmony; blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean the country's precious water resources and rain; the yellow sun denotes power and existence; green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources

National symbols: oryx (antelope); national colors: blue red green white yellow

National anthem
Name: 'Namibia Land of the Brave'
Lyrics and music: Axali DOESEB
Note: adopted 1991

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 11.5% of GDP but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is becoming increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. Namibia is the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. It also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. The mining and quarrying sectors employ less than 2% of the population. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP relative to the region hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country Namibia is ineligible for a second Compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment complicates budget planning. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought. The rising cost of mining diamonds increasingly from the sea has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities recognize these issues and have emphasized the need to increase higher value raw materials manufacturing and services especially in the logistics and transportation sectors.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 137

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 66

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 128

Gross national saving:
Rank: 79

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.7%
Government consumption: 29%
Investment in fixed capital: 27.5%
Investment in inventories: -2%
Exports of goods and services: 43.5%
Imports of goods and services: -62.7%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.2%
Industry: 30%
Services: 63.7%

Agriculture products: millet sorghum peanuts grapes; livestock; fish

Industries: meatpacking fish processing dairy products pasta beverages; mining (diamonds lead zinc tin silver tungsten uranium copper)

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2014 est.)
Rank: 44

Labor force: 991,000 (2014 est.)
Rank: 139
By occupation agriculture: 16.3%
By occupation industry: 22.4%
By occupation services: 61.3%
By occupation note: about half of Namibia's people are unemployed while about two-thirds live in rural areas; roughly two-thirds of rural dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 177

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 28.7% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.4%
Highest 10: 42%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 6

Budget
Revenues: $5.021 billion
Expenditures: $5.659 billion
Surplus or deficit: -4.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 175

Taxes and other revenues: 38.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 32

Public debt:
Rank: 130

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 175

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 65

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 99

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 111

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 116

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 115

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 104

Current account balance:
Rank: 113

Exports:
Rank: 115
Commodities: diamonds copper gold zinc lead uranium; cattle white fish and mollusks

Imports:
Rank: 116
Commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel machinery and equipment chemicals

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 126

Debt external:
Rank: 123

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 1.331 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Production rank: 144
Consumption: 4.238 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 121
Exports: 89 million kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 82
Imports: 2.907 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 49
Installed generating capacity: 1.087 million kW (2013 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 122
Generation sources fossil fuels: 31.8% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 177
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 204
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 68.2% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 26
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 140

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 142
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 204
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 141
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 206

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 207
Products consumption: 26,810 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 120
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 143
Products imports: 20,810 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 103

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 207
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 207
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 206
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 148
Proven reserves: 62.29 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 60

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.716 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 136

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 180,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8
Fixed lines rank: 128
Mobile cellular total: 2.7 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121
Mobile cellular rank: 143

Telephone system
General assessment: good system; core fiber-optic network links most centers with digital connections
Domestic: multiple mobile-cellular providers with a combined subscribership of more than 100 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa microwave radio relay link to Botswana direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2010)

Broadcast media: 1 private and 1 state-run TV station; satellite and cable TV service available; state-run radio service broadcasts in multiple languages; about a dozen private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .na
Users total: 325,400
Users percent of population: 14.8%
Users rank: 140

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 20

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 112 (2013)
Rank: 52
With paved runways total: 19
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 93
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 25
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 52
With unpaved runways: 16 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 2,628 km
Narrow gauge: 2,628 km 1.067-m gauge
Rank: 65

Roadways
Total: 44,138 km
Paved: 6,387 km
Unpaved: 37,751 km
Rank: 81

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1
By type: cargo 1
Rank: 153

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Luderitz Walvis Bay


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Disputes international: concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River thereby de facto recognizing a short but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs