1989 Edition

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline

1,489 km

Comparative area

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Disputes

short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; possible future claim to South Africa's Walvis Bay

Environment

inhospitable with very limited natural water resources; desertification

Exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book

Land boundaries

3,935 km total; Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 966 km, Zambia 233 km

Land use

1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 64% meadows and pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of coal and iron ore

Note

Walvis Bay area is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia

Terrain

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Territorial sea

6 nm

Total area

824,290 km2; land area: 823,290 km2

Birth rate

46 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

1 0 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

86% black, 6.5% white, 7.5% mixed; about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% from the Kavangos tribe

Infant mortality rate

71 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

500,000; 60% agriculture, 19% industry and commerce, 8% services, 7% government, 6% mining (1981 est.)

Language

Afrikaans principal language of about 60% of white population, German of 33%, and English of 7% (all official); several indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth

57 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Literacy

1 00% whites, 1 6% nonwhites

Nationality

noun — Namibian(s); adjective— Namibian

Net migration rate

20 migrants/ 1,000 population (1990) Namibia (continued)

Organized labor

1 5 trade unions — largest is the mineworkers' union which has a sizable black membership

Population

1,452,951 (July 1990), growth rate 5.6% (1990)

Religion

predominantly Christian

Total fertility rate

6.6 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

26 districts; Bethanien, Boesmanland, Caprivi Oos, Damaraland, Gobabis, Grootfontein, Hereroland Oos, Hereroland Wes, Kaokoland, Karasburg, Karibib, Kavango, Keetmanshoop, Liideritz, Maltahohe, Mariental, Namaland, Okahandja, Omaruru, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Owambo, Rehoboth, Swakopmund, Tsumeb, Windhoek

Capital

Windhoek

Communists

no Communist party

Constitution

ratified 9 February 1990

Diplomatic representation

NA

Elections

National Assembly — last held on 7-1 1 November 1989 (next to be held NA); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats— (72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4, ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF I

Executive branch

president. Cabinet, Constitutional Council

Flag

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 which is contrasted by two narrow white edge borders

Independence

21 March 1990

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990) Political parties and leaders: SouthWest Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam Nujoma; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), Dirk Mudge; United Democratic Front (UDF), Justus Garoeb; Action Christian National (ACN), Kosie Pretorius; National Patriotic Front (NPF), Moses Katjiuongua; Federal Convention of Namibia (FCN), Hans Diergaardt; Namibia National Front (NNF), Vekuii Rukoro

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

Long-form name

Republic of Namibia

Member of

FAO, IAEA, ILO, UNESCO, WHO

National holiday

Settlers' Day, 10 December

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Type

republic as of 21 March 1990

Agriculture

accounts for 50% of GDP, over 80% of labor force, and about 90% of exports; cash crops — cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, shrimp; other crops — cassava, corn, rice, tropical fruits; not selfsufficient in food

accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing); mostly subsistence farming; livestock raising major source of cash income; crops — millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled, 1987 catch reaching only 520,000 metric tons; not self-sufficient in food

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $282 million; Western (nonUS) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1 970-87), $3.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $37 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $887 million

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197087), $47.2 million

Budget

revenues $186 million; expenditures $239 million, including capital expenditures of $208 million (1988 est.)

revenues $781 million; expenditures $932 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)

Currency

metical (plural — meticais); 1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos

South African rand (plural — rand); I South African rand (R) = 100 cents

Electricity

2,265,000 kW capacity; 1,740 million kWh produced, 1 20 kWh per capita (1 989)

486,000 kW capacity; 1 ,280 million kWh produced, 930 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

meticais (Mt) per US$1 — 800 (September 1989), 528.60 (1988), 289.44 (1987), 40.43 (1986), 43.18 (1985)

South African rand (R) per US$1— 2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.261 1 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685(1986), 2.1911 (1985)

Exports

$100 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— shrimp 48%, cashews 21%, sugar 10%, copra 3%, citrus 3%; partners — US, Western Europe, GDR, Japan

$935 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— diamonds, uranium, zinc, copper, meat, processed fish, karakul skins; partners — South Africa

External debt

$4.4 billion (1988)

about $27 million at independence; under a 1971 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Namibia may not be liable for debt incurred during its colonial period

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 April-31 March

GDP

$1.6 billion, per capita less than $110; real growth rate 5.0% (1988)

GNP

$1.54 billion, per capita $1,245; real growth rate 2.9% (1987)

Imports

$764 million (c.i.f., 1988), including aid; commodities — food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum; partners — US, Western Europe, USSR

$856 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— foodstuffs, manufactured consumer goods, machinery and equipment; partners— South Africa, FRO, UK, US

Industrial production

growth rate 7% (1989 est.)

growth rate NA%

Industries

food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, nonmetallic mineral products (cement, glass, asbestos), tobacco

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

81.1% (1988)

15.1% (1989)

Overview

One of Africa's poorest countries, with a per capita GDP of little more than $100, Mozambique has failed to exploit the economic potential of its sizable agricultural, hydropower, and transportation resources. Indeed, national output, consumption, and investment declined throughout the first half of the 1980s because of internal disorders, lack of government administrative control, and a growing foreign debt. A sharp increase in foreign aid, attracted by an economic reform policy, has resulted in successive years of economic growth since 1985. Agricultural output, nevertheless, is only at about 75% of its 1981 level, and grain has to be imported. Industry operates at only 20-40% of capacity. The economy depends heavily on foreign assistance to keep afloat.

The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 35% of GDP, agriculture and fisheries 10-15%, and manufacturing about 5%. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten, and it has substantial resources of coal.

Unemployment rate

40.0 (1988)

over 30% (1988)

Airports

203 total, 153 usable; 27 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 29 with runways 1,2202,439 m

143 total, 123 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,4403,659 m; 63 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

Mozambique Armed Forces (including Army, Border Guard, Naval Command, Air Defense Forces)

NA

Civil air

5 major transport aircraft

2 major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

8.4% of GDP (1987)

4.9% of GNP (1986)

Highways

26,498 km total; 4,593 km paved; 829 km gravel, crushed stone, stabilized soil; 21,076 km unimproved earth

54,500 km; 4,079 km paved, 2,540 km gravel, 47,881 km earth roads and tracks

Inland waterways

about 3,750 km of navigable routes

Merchant marine

5 cargo ships ( 1 ,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,806 GRT/ 12,873 DWT

Military manpower

males 15-49, 3,295,067; 1,892,699 fit for military service

males 15-49, 298,249; 176,660 fit for military service

Note

the South-West Africa Territorial Force, established in 1980, was demobilized in June 1989; a new national defense force will probably be formed by the new government

Pipelines

306 km crude oil (not operating); 289 km refined products

Ports

Maputo, Beira, Nacala

Luderitz; primary maritime outlet is Walvis Bay (South Africa)

Railroads

3,288 km total; 3,140 km 1.067-meter gauge; 148 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; Malawi-Nacala, MalawiBeira, and Zimbabwe-Maputo lines are subject to closure because of insurgency

2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track

Telecommunications

fair system of troposcatter, open-wire lines, and radio relay; 57,400 telephones; stations — 15 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations — 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic Defense Forces

good urban, fair rural services; radio relay connects major towns, wires extend to other population centers; 62,800 telephones; stations — 2 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV Defense Forces