Namibia

Namibia 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.

Namibia Information

• Population: 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 d
• Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian
• Location:: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
• Religions:: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
• 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 are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km
• Area: total: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 825,418 sq km
• Coast Line: 1,572 km
• Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
• Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.01% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
• Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
• Highways: total: 66,467 km paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Luderitz, Walvis Bay
• Airports: 136 (2003 est.)