Namibia
Republic of Namibia
republicIndependence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Namibia as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 134 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 became 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 fieldsLand useshare of 824,292 sq km
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)
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
23 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
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:
- 0.81 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 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 (2009)
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)
Government
Republic; President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005); Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Council, 72 seatsone dot, one seat
Percent of vote
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
Legal system
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
- All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI];
- 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 [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA];
- 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.
49 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2008 est.)
Electricity
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.
Population below poverty line
the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day
Central bank discount rate
10% (31 December 2008) · 10.5% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 35
Commercial bank prime lending rate
13.74% (31 December 2008) · 12.88% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 61
Stock of money
$1.983 billion (31 December 2008) · $2.149 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 72
Stock of quasi money
$1.158 billion (31 December 2008) · $1.493 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 93
Stock of domestic credit
$3.43 billion (31 December 2008) · $4.446 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 86
Industries
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Natural gas - proved reserves
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Current account balance
$239.8 million (2008 est.) · $693.2 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Exports - commodities
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $896 million (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Debt - external
$807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) · $1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Exchange rates
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 55 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 (2008)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 1
country comparison to the world: 155
- by type:
- cargo 1
- registered in other countries:
- 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Military
Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Namibia.” The World Factbook 2009. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/namibia/2009.