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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 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
following multi-party elections and the establishment of a
constitution. President NUJOMA is currently serving his third
term as president. |
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Location:
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Southern Africa,
bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South
Africa |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more
than half the size of Alaska |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km,
South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km |
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Coastline:
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1,572 km |
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Climate:
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desert; hot, dry;
rainfall sparse and erratic |
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Terrain:
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mostly high
plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
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Natural resources:
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diamonds, copper,
uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt,
vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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70 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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prolonged periods
of drought |
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Environment - current issues:
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very limited
natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife
poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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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:
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1,954,033
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.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
|
total:
18.3 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.25% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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33.51
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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21.02
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 40.53 years
male: 42.36 years
female: 38.64 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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22.5% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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230,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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13,000 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian |
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Ethnic groups:
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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 are:
Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%,
Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% |
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Religions:
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Christian 80%
to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% |
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Languages:
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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 |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84%
male: 84.4%
female: 83.7% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Windhoek |
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Administrative divisions:
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13 regions;
Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena,
Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa |
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Independence:
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21 March 1990
(from South African mandate) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
21 March (1990) |
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Constitution:
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ratified 9
February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 |
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Legal system:
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based on
Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March
1990)
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 30 November-1 December 1999
(next to be held NA November 2004)
election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected
president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77% |
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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)
elections: National Council - elections for regional
councils, to determine members of the National Council, held
30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA November
2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December
1999 (next to be held NA November 2004)
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory
body
election results: National Council - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA
9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD
7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
(judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the Judicial Service Commission) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20009
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz,
Windhoek
telephone: [264] (61) 221601
FAX: [264] (61) 229792 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 $1,400 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $13.72 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.3% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $7,100 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
11%
industry: 26%
services: 63% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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50% (2002 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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8% (2003) |
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Labor force:
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725,000 (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 47%,
industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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35% (1998) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$883 million
expenditures: $950 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998) |
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Industries:
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meatpacking, fish
processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin,
silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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26.95 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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NA |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
603.1 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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13,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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31.15 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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millet, sorghum,
peanuts; livestock; fish |
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Exports:
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$1.09 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
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diamonds, copper,
gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul
skins |
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Exports - partners:
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EU 79%, US 4%
(2001) |
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Imports:
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$1.371 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
foodstuffs;
petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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US 50%, EU 31%
(2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$664 million
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA $160 million
(2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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Namibian dollar (NAD);
South African rand (ZAR) |
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Currency code:
|
NAD; ZAR |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Namibian dollars
per US dollar - 7.56 (2003), 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
(2000), 6.11 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
|
1 April - 31
March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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121,400 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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150,000 (2002) |
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 39,
shortwave 4 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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8 (plus about 20
low-power repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.na |
|
Internet hosts:
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3,709 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
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50,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
|
total:
2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
66,467 km
paved: 9,172 km
unpaved: 57,285 km (2000) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
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Luderitz, Walvis
Bay |
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Merchant marine:
|
none |
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Airports:
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136 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 115
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
|
Namibian Defense
Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing), Police |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$111.6 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.5% (2003) |
|
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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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