Namibia

Republic of Namibia

republicIndependence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Namibia as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 135 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, UTC+1
Position22 00 S, 17 00 E
Area825,418 sq km
LocationSouthern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
2008

Every edition of Namibia

Populationas each edition published it
2.09 million July 2008 est. · 1.45m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.947% 2008 est. · 3.46% in 1993
Median ageyears
20.7 years 2008 est. · 18.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
49.89 years 2008 est. · 61.2 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.81 children per woman 2008 est. · 6.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
45.64 deaths per 1,000 live births 2008 est. · 71 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$5,200 2007 est. · $1,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.6% 2007 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.

Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography

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

20 fields

Land useshare of 825,418 sq km

arable land 0.99%permanent crops 0.01%other 99% (2005)irrigated 80 sq km (2003)
Area
825,418sq km
land: 825,418 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly more than half the size of Alaska
Coastline
1,572km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 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

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, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%)
per capita:
148 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues

  • 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, 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

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

22 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)

35,960
65 and over3.8%
44,038
627,752
15-6459.5%
615,241
386,252
0-1436.7%
379,426
MaleFemale
Population
2,088,669
growth rate: 0.947% (2008 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)

Birth
23.19Death
14.07Net migration
0.35

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2008 est.)49.89
50.39 · 49.38Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)45.64
49.24 · 41.93Literacy (2001 census)85%
86.8% · 83.5%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2008 est.)20.7
20.6 · 20.8School life expectancy years (2006)11
11 · 11
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 include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.82 male(s)/female
total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.81 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

16,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
malaria
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis (2008)

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 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

Education expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2003)

Government

Republic; President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005); Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

76.4%
Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%Den ULENGA 7.3%Katuutire KAURA 5.1%Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%Justus GAROEB 3.8%other 3.2%election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)

National Council, 72 seatsone dot, one seat

SWAPO 55COD 5DTA 4NUDO 3UDF 3RP 1MAG 1

Percent of vote

SWAPO 89.7%UDF 4.7%NUDO 2.8%DTA 1.9%other 0.9%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia
conventional short form:
Namibia
local long form:
Republic of Namibia
local short form:
Namibia
former:
German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)
head of government:
Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results:
Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%

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 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010);
  • National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results:
  • National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%;
  • seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1;
  • National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%;
  • seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1

note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

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];
  • Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN];
  • National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC;
  • National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO];
  • Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA];
  • Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE];
  • South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO];
  • South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA];
  • United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group);
  • National Society for Human Rights or NSHR;
  • The World Information Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO
chancery:
1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 986-0540
FAX:
[1] (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU
embassy:
14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address:
Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
telephone:
[264] (61) 295-8500
FAX:
[264] (61) 295-8603

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 yellow, 12-rayed sunburst;
  • the lower fly-side triangle is green

Economy

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

51 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$10.69billion
(2007 est.)official exchange rate: $7.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$5,200
(2007 est.)
Real growth rate
3.6%
(2007 est.)industrial production growth: 9% (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)

agriculture 10.6%industry 35.4%services 53.9% (2007 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$2.765 billionExpenditures
$2.515 billion (2007 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
1.606 billion (2007 est.)Electricity consumption
3.194 billion (2006 est.)Electricity exports
40 million (2007 est.)Electricity imports
1.948 billion (2006 est.)

Economy - overview

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. 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 one of the world's most unequal income distributions.

The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula.

Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.

Labor force

660,000 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

5.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
0.5%
highest 10%:
64.5% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Public debt

22.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

10.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.88% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$2.149 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$1.493 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit

$4.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products

  • millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes;
  • livestock;
  • fish

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption

19,840 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

17,750 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance

$805.2 million (2007 est.)

Exports

$2.919 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2006)

Imports

$3.091 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 85.2%, US (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$896 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Currency (code)

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

Exchange rates

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
800,300
(2007)
Internet users
6,296
(2008)
Fixed lines
138,100
(2007) · country code .na

Telephone system

general assessment:
good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 45 per 100 persons
domestic:
  • core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital;
  • Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area
international:
  • country code - 264;
  • fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries;
  • connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa;
  • satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Internet users

101,000 (2007)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
over 3,047 m
2
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
13
1,524 to 2,437 m
22
3
914 to 1,523 m
72
under 914 m
20
Paved 21Unpaved 116

Networkskm

Roadways
42,237Railways
2,382
Roadways: paved: 5,406 km · unpaved: 36,831 km (2002) · Railways: narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Airports

137 (2007)

Railways

total:
2,382 km
narrow gauge:
2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total:
42,237 km
paved:
5,406 km
unpaved:
36,831 km (2002)

Merchant marine

total:
1
by type:
cargo 1
registered in other countries:
1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Military

Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)

6 fields
Military expenditures
3.7%of GDP
(2006)

Military branches

Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 313,497 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
25,525
female:
25,182 (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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;
  • managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in 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 (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Namibia.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/namibia/2008.

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