Namibia
Republic of Namibia
republicIndependence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Namibia as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 146 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. POHAMBA was reelected in November 2009.
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 freshwater 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 and Society
32 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Languages
English (official) 7%, Afrikaans (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population), German 32%, indigenous languages (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama) 1%
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.8 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2011 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)
Government
Republic; President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005); Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Council, 72 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Namibia
- conventional short form:
- Namibia
- local long form:
- Republic of Namibia
- local short form:
- Namibia
- former:
- German South-West Africa (Sued-West Afrika), 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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt 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; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27-28 November 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
- election results:
- Hifikepunye POHAMBA reelected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Hidipo HAMUTENYA 11.0%, Katuutire KAURA 3.0%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 2.9%, Justus GAROEB 2.4%, Ignatius SHIXWAMENI 1.3%, Hendrick MUDGE 1.2%, other 1.8%
Legislative branch
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council, primarily an advisory body (26 seats; two members chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms), and the National Assembly (72 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 26-27 November 2010 (next to be held in 2016);
- National Assembly - last held on 26-27 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2014)
- election results:
- National Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1;
- National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 75.3%, RDP 11.3%, DTA 3.1%, NUDO 3.0%, UDF 2.4%, APP 1.4%, RP 0.8%, COD 0.7%, SWANU 0.6%, other 1.3%;
- seats by party - SWAPO 54, RDP 8, DTA 2, NUDO 2, UDF 2, APP 1, COD 1, RP 1, SWANU 1
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 [Benjamin 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 [Hendrick 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
National Society for Human Rights or NSHR (NAMRIGHTS as of 2010); various labor unions
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Martin ANDJABA
- 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 Wanda L. NESBITT
- 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;
- red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all;
- white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony;
- blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rain;
- the yellow sun denotes power and existence;
- green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources
Economy
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export.
51 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 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 world's fourth-largest producer of uranium.
It also produces large quantities of zinc and is a small producer of gold and other minerals. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about 35-40% 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, as shown by Namibia's 70.7 GINI coefficient. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.
Until 2010, Namibia drew 40% of its budget revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Increased payments from SACU put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence. SACU allotments to Namibia increased in 2009, but will drop for 2010 and 2011 because South Africa went into recession during the global economic crisis, reducing overall SACU income.
Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, and uranium spurred growth in 2003-08, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches, a dramatic decline in demand for diamonds, higher costs of producing metals, and the global recession. A rebound in diamond and uranium prices in 2010 provided a significant boost to Namibia's mining sector. Copper mines, which closed in 2008, are slated to reopen in 2011.
Labor force - by occupation
- agriculture:
- 16.3%
- industry:
- 22.4%
- services:
- 61.3%
note: statistics are for the formal sector only; about half of Namibia's people are unemployed while about two-thirds live in rural areas; roughly two-thirds of rural dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line
55.8% note: 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 (2005 est.)
Central bank discount rate
12% (31 December 2010 est.) · 7% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Commercial bank prime lending rate
9.72% (31 December 2010 est.) · 11.12% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Stock of narrow money
$3.653 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $2.839 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Stock of broad money
$8.078 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $6.595 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Stock of domestic credit
$6.553 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $4.726 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
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 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Current account balance
$11.35 million (2010 est.) · -$160.9 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Exports - commodities
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.495 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.846 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Debt - external
$3.101 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $2.199 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Exchange rates
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.57 (2010) · 8.42 (2009) · 7.75 (2008) · 7.18 (2007) · 6.7649 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- good system; core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital
- domestic:
- multiple mobile-cellular providers with a combined subscribership of nearly 60 telephones per 100 persons;
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 65 per 100 persons
- 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)
Broadcast media
- 1 private and 1 state-run television station;
- satellite and cable TV service is available;
- state-run radio service broadcasts in multiple languages;
- about a dozen private radio stations operating;
- transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air Force (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)
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 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/namibia/2011.