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 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. Namibia won its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S 17 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 825,418 km²
Land: 825,418 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries
Total: 3,936 km
Border countries: (4) Angola 1,376 km; , Botswana 1,360 km; , South Africa 967 km; , Zambia 233 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
Note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use
Arable land: 0.99%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 99.01% (2001)

Irrigated land: 70 km² (1998 est.)

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

Population
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.25% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 50% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Namibian
Adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups
Note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.3 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 33.51 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 21.02 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Environment
Current issues: very limited natural fresh water 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 69.58 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 72.65 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 66.43 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 40.53 years
Male: 42.36 years
Female: 38.64 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 21.3% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 210,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 16,000 (2003 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 84%
Male: 84.4%
Female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

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

Government type: republic

Capital: Windhoek

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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since November 2004)
Head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August 2002)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
Election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch
Elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
Election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4
Note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

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 Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (correspondent) ITU MIGA NAM ONUB OPCW SACU SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMEE UNMIL UNOCI UPU WCL WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
In the us chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
In the us fax: [1] (202) 986-0443
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
From the us embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
From the us mailing address: Private Bag 12,029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
From the us telephone: [264] (61) 221,601
From the us fax: [264] (61) 229,792

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

Economy overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium and the producer of large quantities of lead zinc tin silver and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. 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 the great inequality of income distribution; nearly one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1400 in constant 1994 dollars according to a 1993 study. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign investment. Mining of zinc copper and silver and increased fish production led growth in 2003.

Real gdp growth rate: 3.3% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.5%
Industry: 29.8%
Services: 58.7% (2003 est.)

Agriculture products: millet sorghum peanuts; livestock; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 760,000 (2003)
By occupation agriculture: 47%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35% (1998)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index: 70 (2003)

Budget
Revenues: $1.434 billion
Expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003)

Public debt: 35.6% of GDP (2003)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.3% (2003)

Current account balance: $123 million (2003)

Exports: $1.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: diamonds copper gold zinc lead uranium; cattle processed fish karakul skins
Partners: EU 79% US 4% (2001)

Imports: $1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel machinery and equipment chemicals
Partners: US 50% EU 31% (2001)

Debt external: $1.04 billion (2003 est.)

Exchange rates: Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003) 10.5407 (2002) 8.6092 (2001) 6.9398 (2000) 6.1095 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 26.95 million kWh (2001)
Consumption: 603.1 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Natural gas
Proven reserves: 31.15 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 127,400 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 223,700 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons
Domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital
International: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Internet
Country code: .na
Hosts: 3,164 (2003)
Users: 65,000 (2003)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $111.6 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 2.5% (2003)

Airports: 136 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 21
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 115
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 22
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 71
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Railways
Total: 2,382 km
Narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Merchant marine: none (2004 est.)

Disputes international: commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Botswana Namibia Zambia and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited; Angolan rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia