Namibia

Republic of Namibia

republicIndependence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Namibia as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 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

Position22 00 S, 17 00 E

Area825,418 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

1.82 million July 2002 est. · 1.45m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.19% 2002 est. · 3.46% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

38.97 years 2002 est. · 61.2 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.77 children per woman 2002 est. · 6.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

72.43 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 71 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$4,500 2001 est. · $1,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4% 2001 est. · 2% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 825,418 sq km

arable land 0.99%permanent crops 0%other 99.01% (1998 est.)irrigated 70 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

825,418sq km

water: 0 sq kmland: 825,418 sq kmslightly more than half the size of Alaska

Coastline

1,572km

contiguous zone: 24 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM

Highest point

2,606m

Konigsteinlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

3,936km

border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references

Africa

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, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Natural hazards

prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues

very limited natural fresh water resources;
desertification;
wildlife poaching;
land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

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

People

18 fields

Population

1,820,916

growth rate: 1.19% (2002 est.)

Note

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 2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth

34.17Death

22.28Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2002 est.)38.97

40.81 · 37.07

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1960 est.)38%

45% · 31%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

19.54%

(1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 42.6% (male 392,706; female 382,690)
15-64 years:: 53.7% (male 490,151; female 488,052)
65 years and over:: 3.7% (male 29,345; female 37,972) (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

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:: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population:: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

72.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

160,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

18,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Namibian(s)
adjective:: Namibian

Religions

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

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

Government

Republic; President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August 2002)

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National Council, 72 seatsone dot, one seat

SWAPO 55COD 7DTA 7UDF 2MAG 1,

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 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 2004)
election results:: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

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 by December 2004);
National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 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,

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

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

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export.

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Real growth rate

(2001 est.)industrial production growth: NA

Inflation, consumer prices

8.8%

(2001)

Unemployment rate

30%

to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)

Labor force

500,000

GDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)

agriculture 11%industry 28%services 61% (2000 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$883 millionExpenditures

$950 million (1998)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

Electricity

fossil fuel 2%hydro 98%other 0% · nuclear 0%

Electricity production

30 million (2000)Electricity consumption

890.9 million (2000)Electricity imports

863 million

Economy - overview

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds.

Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is five times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorest countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners.

The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

millet, sorghum, peanuts;
livestock;
fish

Exports

$1.58 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.)

Imports

$1.71 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.)

Debt - external

$217 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$127 million (1998) (1998)

Currency

Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code

NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates

Namibian dollars per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

82,000

(2000 est)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

110,200

(2000) · country code .na

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:: 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)