Namibia

republicIndependence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Namibia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalWindhoek
LocationSouthern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and
1994

Every edition of Namibia

Populationas each edition published it
1.6 million July 1994 est. · 1.45m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.45% 1994 est. · 3.46% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 61.2 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.4 children per woman 1994 est. · 6.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
61.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 71 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,500 1993 est. · $1,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.5% 1992 · 2% in 1993

Geography

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and | South Africa

23 fields
Coastline
1,572km
Land boundaries
3,824km
total · Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km
Irrigated land
40sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South Africa

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

825,418 sq km

land area

825,418 sq km

comparative area

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

  • short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite;
  • quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
  • dispute with South Africa over Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands has been resolved and these territories were transferred to Namibian sovereignty on 1 March 1994

Climate

  • desert;
  • hot, dry;
  • rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain

  • mostly high plateau;
  • Namib Desert along coast;
  • Kalahari Desert in east

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore

arable land

1%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

64%

forest and woodland

22%

other

13%

current issues

very limited natural water resources; desertification

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

People

22 fields
Population
1,595,567
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 3.45% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
43.4Death
8.87Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

black 86%white 6.6%mixed 7.4%
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1960)

Infant mortality rate

61.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

61.65 years

male

58.97 years

female

64.4 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.4 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Namibian(s)

adjective

Namibian

note

about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe

Religions

Christian

Languages

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages

total population

38%

male

45%

female

31%

by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government 7%, mining 6% (1981 est.)

Government

Republic

30 fields

Legislature, 26 seatsone dot, one seat

SWAPO 19DTA 6UDF 1

Legislature, 72 seatsone dot, one seat

SWAPO 41DTA 21UDF 4ACN 3NNF 1FCN 1NPF 1

conventional long form

Republic of Namibia

conventional short form

Namibia

Type

republic

Capital

Windhoek

Administrative divisions

13 districts; Erango, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Liambezi, Ohanguena, Okarango, Omaheke, Omusat, 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state and head of government

  • President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990);
  • election last held 16 February 1990 (next to be held March 1995);
  • results - Sam NUJOMA was elected president by the Constituent Assembly (now the National Assembly)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

National Council

elections last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998); seats - (26 total) SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1

National Assembly

  • elections last held on 7-11 November 1989 (next to be held by November 1994);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4, ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam NUJOMA;
  • DTA of Namibia (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance) (DTA), Mishake MUYONGO;
  • United Democratic Front (UDF), Justus GAROEB;
  • Action Christian National (ACN), Kosie PRETORIUS;
  • National Patriotic Front (NPF), Moses KATJIUONGUA;
  • Federal Convention of Namibia (FCN), Hans DIERGAARDT;
  • Namibia National Front (NNF), Vekuii RUKORO

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

chief of mission

Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH

chancery

1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

(202) 986-0540

FAX

(202) 986-0443

chief of mission

(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard F. JETER

embassy

Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek

mailing address

P. O. Box 9890, Windhoek 9000

telephone

[264] (61) 221-601, 222-675, 222-680

FAX

[264] (61) 229-792

Flag

  • 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

The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and | process minerals for export.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
3.5%
(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.9% (1991); accounts for 35% of GDP, including mining
Inflation, consumer prices
17.9%
(1992) in urban area

Overview

The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 25% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds.

Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. More than half the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.85 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$941 million

expenditures

$1.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $157 million (FY93/94)

Exports

$1.289 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

partners

Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Japan

Imports

$1.178 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities

foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment

partners

South Africa, Germany, US, Switzerland

External debt

about $220 million (1992 est.)

capacity

490,000 kW

production

1.29 billion kWh

consumption per capita

850 kWh (1991)

Industries

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

Agriculture

  • accounts for 15% of GDP;
  • mostly subsistence farming;
  • livestock raising major source of cash income;
  • crops - millet, sorghum, peanuts;
  • fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled, 1988 catch reaching only 384,000 metric tons;
  • not self-sufficient in food

recipient

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $47.2 million

Currency

1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

South African rand (R) per US$1 - 3.4096 (January 1994), 3.2678 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7653 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

12 fields

Railroads

2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track

total

54,500 km

paved

4,080 km

unpaved

gravel 2,540 km; earth 47,880 km (roads and tracks)

Ports

Luderitz; Walvis Bay

total

136

usable

109

with permanent-surface runways

21

with runways over 3,659 m

1

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

4

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

64

Telecommunications

  • good urban, fair rural services;
  • radio relay connects major towns, wires extend to other population centers;
  • 62,800 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 4 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV

Defense Forces

National Defense Force (Army), Police

3 fields

Branches

National Defense Force (Army), Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 336,145; fit for military service 199,337

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $66 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY92)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Namibia.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/namibia/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →