Background: Various ethnic groups occupied south western Africa prior to Germany establishing a colony over most of the territory in 1884. South Africa occupied the colony, then known as German South West Africa, in 1915 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 gained independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since, though the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, GEINGOB was reelected but by a substantially reduced majority and SWAPO narrowly lost its super majority in parliament. Namibia gained independence in 1990.

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 824,292 km²
Land: 823,290 km²
Water: 1002 km²
Rank: 35
Comparative: almost seven times the size of Pennsylvania; 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
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

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

Elevation
Mean elevation: 1141 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Konigstein on Brandberg 2,573 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% (2011 est.)
Forest: 8.8% (2011 est.)
Other: 44% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 80 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Geography
Note: the Namib Desert, after which the country is named, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world; Namibia is the 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; Namib-Naukluft National Park (49,768 km²), is the largest game park in Africa and one of the largest in the world

Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 2,630,073 (July 2020 est.)
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: 142
Growth rate: 1.86% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 54
Below poverty line: 28.7% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Namibian(s)
Adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups: Ovambo 50%, Kavangos 9%, Herero 7%, Damara 7%, mixed European and African ancestry 6.5%, European 6%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, San 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana .5%

Languages: Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4% (also a common language), Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages .7%, other 1% (2016 est.)
Note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages

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

Demographic profile: Planning officials view Namibia’s reduced population growth rate as sustainable based on the country’s economic growth over the past decade. Prior to independence in 1990, Namibia’s relatively small population grew at about 3% annually, but declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS slowed this growth to 1.4% by 2011, rebounding to close to 2% by 2016. Namibia’s fertility rate has fallen over the last two decades - from about 4.5 children per woman in 1996 to 3.4 in 2016 - due to increased contraceptive use, higher educational attainment among women, and greater female participation in the labor force. The average age at first birth has stayed fairly constant, but the age at first marriage continues to increase, indicating a rising incidence of premarital childbearing.The majority of Namibians are rural dwellers (about 55%) and live in the better-watered north and northeast parts of the country. Migration, historically male-dominated, generally flows from northern communal areas - non-agricultural lands where blacks were sequestered under the apartheid system - to agricultural, mining, and manufacturing centers in the center and south. After independence from South Africa, restrictions on internal movement eased, and rural-urban migration increased, bolstering urban growth.Some Namibians - usually persons who are better-educated, more affluent, and from urban areas - continue to legally migrate to South Africa temporarily to visit family and friends and, much less frequently, to pursue tertiary education or better economic opportunities. Namibians concentrated along the country’s other borders make unauthorized visits to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Botswana, to visit family and to trade agricultural goods. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland, have a strong national identity, and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Although Namibia is receptive to foreign investment and cross-border trade, intolerance toward non-citizens is widespread.

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.68% (male 473,937/female 464,453)
15-24 years: 20.27% (male 267,106/female 265,882)
25-54 years: 35.47% (male 449,132/female 483,811)
55-64 years: 4.68% (male 54,589/female 68,619)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 43,596/female 58,948) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 67.9
Youth dependency ratio: 61.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 6
Potential support ratio: 16.6 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.8 years
Male: 21.1 years
Female: 22.6 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 183

Population growth rate: 1.86% (2020 est.)
Rank: 54

Birth rate: 25.7 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 47

Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 115

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 91

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 52% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 431,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2020)

Environment
Current issues: depletion and degradation of water and aquatic resources; desertification; land degradation; loss of biodiversity and biotic resources; wildlife poaching
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 21.5 years (2013 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Infant mortality rate
Total: 31.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 33.5 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 29.2 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 51

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.3 years
Male: 63.3 years
Female: 67.3 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 195

Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 48

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 56.1% (2013)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.1% of population
Rural: 19.2% of population
Total: 10.3% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 8.6% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.59 physicians/1000 population (2017)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 27.1% of population
Rural: 78% of population
Total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 12.7% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 6
People living with hivaids: 210,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 28
Deaths: 3,000 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 35

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 17.2% (2016)
Rank: 119

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 13.2% (2013)
Rank: 47

Education expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 131

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.5%
Male: 91.6%
Female: 91.4% (2018)

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 (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa
Etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name namib means vast place in the Nama/Damara language

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Windhoek
Geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April: etymology: may derive from the Afrikaans word 'wind-hoek' meaning 'windy corner'

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

Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution
History: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990
Amendments: initiated by the Cabinet; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed; amended 1998, 2010, 2014

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions)
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 terms can be extended by the president until age 70
Subordinate courts: High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates courts; community courts

Political parties and leaders: All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME]Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI]National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE]Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO]Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI]Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA]Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO]South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB]United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB]United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP (formerly CPN) [MPs Salmon FLEERMUYS and Benson KAAPALA]

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: Charge dAffaires Jerome Mutamba MUTAMBA (since 3 August 2020)
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 Lisa A. JOHNSON (since 3 February 2018)
From the us telephone: [264] (061) 295-8,500
From the us embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
From the us mailing address: Private Bag 12,029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
From the us FAX: [264] (061) 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 golden-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 golden-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
Lyricsmusic: Axali DOESEB
Note: adopted 1991

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 203

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 130

Gross national saving:
Rank: 125

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 68.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 36.7% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -47.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.7% (2016 est.)
Industry: 26.3% (2016 est.)
Services: 67% (2017 est.)

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: -0.4% (2017 est.)
Rank: 171

Labor force: 956,800 (2017 est.)
Rank: 140
By occupation agriculture: 31%
By occupation industry: 14%
By occupation services: 54% (2013 est.)
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: 211

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.4%
Highest 10: 42% (2010)

Budget
Revenues: 4.268 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 5 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 173

Taxes and other revenues: 32.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 68

Public debt:
Rank: 121

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 162

Current account balance:
Rank: 101

Exports:
Rank: 111
Partners: South Africa 27.1%, Botswana 14.9%, Switzerland 12%, Zambia 5.7%, China 4.6%, Italy 4.4% (2017)
Commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, white fish and mollusks

Imports:
Rank: 110
Commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Partners: South Africa 61.4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 115

Debt external:
Rank: 123

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 1 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 57% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 78% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 36% (2019)
Production: 1.403 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 145
Consumption: 3.891 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 128
Exports: 88 million kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 83
Imports: 3.073 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 50
Installed generating capacity: 535,500 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 146
Generation sources fossil fuels: 28% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 186
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 150
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 26
Generation sources other renewable sources: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 89

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 179
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 171
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 172
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 174

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 183
Products consumption: 27,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 125
Products exports: 80 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 120
Products imports: 26,270 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 105

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 175
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 179
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 157
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 162
Proven reserves: 62.29 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 60

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.958 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 139

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 144,575
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.6 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 126
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2,921,697
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113.17 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 142

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

Internet
Country code: .na
Users total: 1,291,944
Users percent of population: 51% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 134

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 61,968
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2018 est.)
Rank: 131

Military expenditures:
Rank: 27

Military and security forces: Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air Force; Namibian Police Force: Special Field Force (paramilitary unit responsible for protecting borders and government installations) (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 602,893 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 26.29 million
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V5 (2016)

Airports: 112 (2013)
Rank: 51
With paved runways total: 19 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 93 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 25 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 52 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 16 (2013)

Railways
Total: 2,628 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 2,628 km
Note: 1.067-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 65

Roadways
Total: 48,875 km (2018)
Paved: 7,893 km (2018)
Unpaved: 40,982 km (2018)
Rank: 83

Merchant marine
Total: 12
By type: general cargo 1, other 11 (2019)
Rank: 151

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Luderitz, Walvis Bay

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
Refugees: 6,595 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2020)