Namibia

Full name of country: Republic of Namibia

Region: Africa

Official language: English

Population: 2,803,660 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Namibian(s) (noun), Namibian (adjective)

Land area: 823,290 sq km (317,874 sq miles)

Water area: 1,002 sq km (387 sq miles)

Capital: Windhoek

National anthem: "Namibia, Land of the Brave", by Axali Doeseb

National holiday: Independence Day, March 21 (1990)

Population growth: 1.72% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag is divided by a red stripe edged in narrow bands of white that run from its lower left-hand (hoist) side to its upper right-hand (fly) side. The upper hoist triangle is blue with a yellow, twelve-rayed sun at its center. The lower fly triangle is green.

Motto: "Unity, Liberty, Justice"

Independence: March 21, 1990 (from South African mandate)

Government type: republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

The Republic of Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, is a southwestern African nation that gained its independence from South Africa in 1990. Namibia's western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean, while its land neighbors are South Africa to the south, Botswana to the east, and Angola and Zambia to the north.

Although the government now reflects Namibia's majority Black African population, there remain sizeable minority populations. Mining is an important economic sector; the country's mineral resources include large deposits of diamonds, gold, and uranium. Tourism is growing in Namibia. Visitors come to the country to enjoy the beauty of its wildlife preserves or to hunt game.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Namibia's population is largely Black, representing a mix of native African groups. The largest are the Ovambo, who represent about half of the total Namibian population, and the Kavangos tribe, who represent 9 percent. Other peoples include Herero (7 percent of the population), Damara (7 percent), Nama (5 percent), Caprivian (4 percent), San (3 percent), Baster, (2 percent), and the Tswana (0.5 percent).

People of White Afrikaner, German, Portuguese, and British background make up around 6 percent of the population. Those of mixed European and African ancestry account for about 6.5 percent. Most White Namibians speak Afrikaans, the language of South Africa's Dutch settlers.

The Khoisan is a term used for a collection of Indigenous peoples who live in the Kalahari Desert, which spreads across Namibia as well as Botswana and South Africa. They are among the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa.

In general, Namibia's population is very young, in part because of the high rates of disease. The median age in Namibia was 22.8  years in 2024. An estimated 34.1 percent of the population was under the age of fifteen, and 62 percent of the population was between fifteen and sixty-four years old. Less than 3.9 percent of the population was over the age of sixty-five (2024 estimate).

Most of the population lives in the northern and central part of the country. The coastal and eastern parts of the country are largely deserts. Windhoek, the capital, is the largest city, with an estimated population of 477,000 in 2023. Other important communities are the ports of Walvis Bay and Luderitz, and the cities of Grootfontein and Oranjemund.

English is the official language but is spoken by fewer than 3 percent of the population. Afrikaans, the language of most White residents, was an official language until independence in 1990. The country recognizes thirteen national languages, including ten Indigenous African languages and three Indo-European languages. Oshiwambo is the most widely spoken, followed by Nama/Damara.

Most Namibians (97.5 percent) are Christians. Lutheranism predominates, reflecting the country's history as a German colony. Between 10 and 20 percent of Namibians practice traditional religions, such as animism.

Indigenous People: The San people (sometimes known as Bushmen, though this term is now deemed derogatory) are believed to be the first to settle in what is now Namibia; anthropological research suggests that they have lived there as long as 20,000 years. They themselves dislike the name "San," which means "outsider" in the language of the rival Khoikhoi people. The Nama and Damara peoples arrived later.

Around six hundred years ago, the Ovambo and Herero began arriving from the north, eventually becoming the dominant groups. Europeans began arriving in the late eighteenth century, but full-scale colonization did not begin until the late nineteenth century. Walvis Bay, later part of Namibia, became part of Britain's Cape Colony in the late 1870s. The Germans colonized the area in the 1880s; in August 1884, the German Empire established the colony of German South-East Africa. German settlers began arriving in the thousands during the last years before World War I, in order to farm and mine the land.

Friction between the White colonists and the local tribes was fueled by racial discrimination and eventually led to open conflict between 1904 and 1907. In 1904 and 1905, the Herero and Nama rose up against German rule and killed a number of German farmers. The German authorities suppressed the rebellion by massacring thousands of Herero and Nama, using tactics that are now considered genocide. In 2004, the German government issued an official apology for the massacre. Despite demands of the victimized groups, however, the apology did not include compensation.

Education: Schooling in Namibia is compulsory through age sixteen. Many Namibians lack adequate job skills, and so the development of vocational training programs remains a major issue.

Postsecondary education has been available since 1980, though no university existed until after independence. During the 1980s, professional education focused on business and teacher training. The University of Namibia (UNAM) was founded in 1993, along with the Polytechnic of Namibia and the Colleges of Education. The adult literacy rate in Namibia is 92.3 percent (2021 estimate).

Health Care: Health care is poor in Namibia, and a large percentage of the population suffers from major infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS. In 2020 it was estimated that 11.6 percent of the adult population was infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS.

Other prevalent diseases include hepatitis A and typhoid fever, malaria, and schistosomiasis. The infant mortality rate is high, at 27.9 deaths per 1,000 live births (2024 estimate). Life expectancy at birth is 65.9 years—64.2 years for men and 67.6 years for women (2024 estimate). Namibia ranked 142 out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Food: Namibian cuisine is as complex and varied as the country's many ethnic groups. Namibians eat a wide variety of traditional foods such as cassava and cornmeal, as well as seafood in coastal areas. Afrikaner and German cuisine, the remnant of the country's colonial past, is also widely eaten. Typical German-influenced foods in Namibia include sausage and baked goods.

Meat, particularly beef and venison, is commonly used in Namibian cooking. Namibians also enjoy drinking locally made wine and beer.

The prevalence of disease means that travelers to Namibia must be cautious when eating food from restaurants and other public places, such as street markets.

Arts & Entertainment: Until Namibia gained independence in 1990, the dominant culture was that of the White minority, who were mostly of Afrikaner or German descent. Cities such as Windhoek and Luderitz, founded by German settlers, still display many signs of German architecture. Since 1990, cultural expressions have become increasingly representative of the many Namibian ethnic groups.

Namibia has a strong athletic tradition. Until 1990, Namibian athletes competed under the South African flag in international competitions. As in other African nations, football (soccer) is a popular sport. The Namibian Football Association belongs to several international soccer organizations, including the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Namibia has distinguished itself in track-and-field events at the Olympics and other international events. One of the nation's most famous athletes is Frankie Fredericks, who received silver medals at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, as well as at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Mass media in Namibia are among the freest on the African continent, with a vibrant opposition press. The government operates its own daily newspaper, the New Era, but there are privately owned newspapers not only in English (including the Namibia Economist), but also in Afrikaans (Die Republikein), German (Allgemeine Zeitung), and Oshiwambo (The Namibian). Broadcast media include the state-owned Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as well as several privately owned television and radio stations.

Holidays: Namibia's national holiday is Independence Day (March 21), celebrating gaining independence in 1990 from South Africa. As a predominantly Christian nation, Namibia also celebrates religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Heroes' Day, celebrated on August 26, commemorates the beginning of the country's war for independence, and Africa Day, observed on May 25, celebrates the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. Other public holidays include Workers' Day (May 1), Cassinga Day (May 4), Human Rights Day (December 10), and Family/Goodwill Day (December 26).

Environment and Geography

Topography: Namibia is mostly covered by high, dry plateaus and deserts. The extremely arid Namib Desert (from which the country takes its name) lies along the Atlantic coast. The immense, semiarid Kalahari Desert, home of the San, lies to the east. Between the two lies the central plateau, which runs north to south. The highest point in Namibia is the Konigstein (also known as the Brandberg), at  2,573 meters (8,441 feet) above sea level.

Several large rivers run through Namibia, including the Zambezi and Okavango, as well as the Fish and Orange. The Caprivi Strip, part of Namibia since the German colonial period and named for the Imperial German chancellor, is a wildlife-rich strip of land that provides access to the Zambezi River. The inhabitants of the Caprivi Strip are mostly subsistence farmers.

Natural Resources: Namibia possesses immense mineral wealth, particularly diamonds and precious metals such as gold and silver. Key industrial minerals include lead, tin, nickel, uranium, and zinc. The country has few agricultural resources; the land is largely dry and nonarable, though many areas are suitable for grazing. The principal agricultural products include millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes, and livestock. Namibia has made significant efforts to conserve the environment, including specifically mentioning environmental protection in the nation's constitution.

Plants & Animals: Wildlife is found in large numbers in Namibia, with many species living in national parks and game reserves in the savanna and woodland regions. One of the most important is Etosha National Park, which was established in the early twentieth century.

Large game animals include the antelope, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, and rhinoceros, as well as large cats such as the cheetah, lion, and leopard. Despite the dryness of the desert regions, many plants and animals are still found in the less arid regions, particularly small reptiles and mammals.

Vegetation in the desert areas consists of shrubs, grasses, and other drought-resistant plants. The land becomes more heavily wooded toward the northeast.

Climate: Namibia's climate is generally semiarid, with the Namib Desert along the coast and the Kalahari Desert in the east. Around Windhoek, in the northeastern part of the country, conditions are subtropical; despite the heat, the high altitude makes conditions tolerable.

The average temperature ranges between 16 degrees and 21 degrees Celsius (60 degrees and 70 degrees Fahrenheit), with the cooler temperatures occurring mostly on the coast. In summer, temperatures can rise as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Winters, however, are often cold, with temperatures below freezing in desert areas at night.

Average annual rainfall is roughly 250 millimeters (10 inches), with higher amounts in the northern part of the country. The arid climate is due in part to ocean currents.

Economy

Namibia is considered a developing country and is trying to diversify its economy, increase foreign investment, and reduce dependence on South Africa, the country's major market. The country's economy is dependent on mining and the export of minerals. Major obstacles to growth include high unemployment (estimated at 19.42 percent in 2023) and a lack of skilled workers. In 2023, the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$11,500; although this figure is relatively high for the region, that is due to significant income and wealth inequality.

Namibia belongs to the South African Customs Union, a free-trade organization headquartered in Windhoek; the other members are South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Although Namibia has its own currency (the Namibian dollar), it belongs to a monetary union with South Africa, and accepts the South African rand as legal tender.

Industry: Mining, commercial ranching and fishing, meatpacking, and fish processing are Namibia's most important economic sectors. Mining accounted for about 12.5 percent of GDP and 50 percent of foreign exchange earnings in 2017, although the mining industry only employed approximately 2 percent of the population.

Overall, industry accounted for 30 percent of GDP in 2023; service industries accounted for another 53.4 percent. Agricultural activity accounted for  7.7 percent of GDP, although nearly two-thirds of Namibians living in rural areas engage in subsistence farming.

Minerals account for a majority of the country's exports. Principal exports include diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, and uranium. The main ports are at Luderitz and Walvis Bay; the latter has an excellent deepwater facility. Namibia's biggest trading partners are China and South Africa.

Agriculture: Namibia's agriculture is largely at the subsistence level, employing most of the population but contributing little to GDP. The main food crops are millet, sorghum, peanuts, and grapes. Only about 1 percent of the land is arable (2018 est.); most of this is found in the country's less arid northern section. Many farmers work as ranchers, either raising livestock commercially or operating game ranches to accommodate hunting safaris.

Fishing is an important economic sector, because of the rich fishing grounds in the South Atlantic. Common species include anchovy, mackerel, and hake. White fish and mollusks are important exports. Because of overfishing prior to the country's independence, the Namibian government is working to conserve stocks.

Tourism: Namibian tourism has grown extensively since independence. The country's beautiful scenery and rich wildlife populations are major attractions. Some visitors are ecotourists who want to view the country's wildlife in Etosha National Park or other reserves, while other visitors come as hunters to the country's many game ranches. Approximately 1.65 million foreign tourists visited Namibia in 2019, according to the World Bank. This figure dropped to just 187,000 following the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, but the number of visitors began to rise again by 2022.

Government

From the 1880s until World War I, the territory now known as Namibia was a German colony known as German South West Africa. The British occupied the territory in 1915. After World War I ended, the League of Nations gave the territory to South Africa in 1920 to govern as a mandate. The United Nations, which succeeded the League after World War II, tried to change the mandate into a UN trusteeship; South Africa refused, however, and directly annexed South West Africa. This action brought international outrage and fostered an independence movement.

In 1966, the United Nations revoked South Africa's mandate authority. That same year, Marxist guerrillas known as the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) began a war for independence that lasted for the next several decades. During this period, South West Africa became known internationally as Namibia. In 1988, after decades of negotiation, South Africa finally agreed to withdraw from the territory, and Namibia became independent on March 21, 1990. In 1994, South Africa handed Walvis Bay and a dozen offshore islands over to Namibia.

Namibia's executive branch consists of a president, prime minister, and cabinet. The popularly elected president, Namibia's chief of state and head of government, serves a five-year term. The cabinet officers, headed by the prime minister, are appointed by the president from the ranks of the National Assembly.

Namibia has a two-house Parliament: the National Council or upper house plays an advisory role, while the National Assembly or lower house handles most legislation. The National Council has forty-two members, who serve five-year terms. The National Assembly has 104 seats. Eight seats are reserved for nonvoting members who are appointed by the president, and the remaining ninety-six members are directly elected from constituencies with proportional representation to serve five-year terms.

The Namibian justice system, like that of South Africa, is based on Roman-Dutch law (though South Africa also uses English common law). The Supreme Court is the nation's highest court. Members are nominated by the Judicial Service Commission and appointed by the president. Subordinate courts include the High Court, Labor Court, regional and district magistrates' courts, and community courts.

Interesting Facts

• The name of Windhoek, Namibia's capital, means "windy corner" in Afrikaans.
• The country boasts the largest subterranean lake on the planet in the Dragon's Breath Cave, deep under the Kalahari.
• The San people are skilled hunters who use a bow and arrow dipped in poison from beetle larvae or certain plants to kill their prey.
• Namibia is home to the oldest desert in the world, the Namib Desert, as well as the world's oldest canyon, the Fish River Canyon.

Bibliography

"Namibia." Human Development Reports 2022, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/NAM. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Namibia." UNICEF, 2022, data.unicef.org/country/nam/. Accessed 1 July 2022.

"Namibia." The World Bank, data.worldbank.org/country/namibia. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Namibia." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/namibia/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

Travel and Tourism: Economic Impact 2016; Namibia. World Travel and Tourism Council, 2016, www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202016/namibia2016.pdf. Accessed 1 July 2022.