2000 Edition

Background

South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika 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. Independence came in 1990.

Area

land

825,418 sq km

total

825,418 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline

1,572 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Konigstein 2,606 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Irrigated land

60 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km

total

3,824 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forests and woodland

22%

other

31% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

46%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

prolonged periods of drought

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish

note

suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 384,900; female 375,282) 15-64 years: 53% (male 468,942; female 475,504) 65 years and over: 4% (male 28,905; female 37,794) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

35.23 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

19.49 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

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 are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Infant mortality rate

70.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,

indigenous languages

Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Life expectancy at birth

female

40.53 years (2000 est.)

male

44.33 years

total population

42.46 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

31% (1960 est.)

male

45%

total population

38%

Nationality

adjective

Namibian

noun

Namibian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

1,771,327

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.57% (2000 est.)

Religions

Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.89 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Capital

Windhoek

Constitution

ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Namibia

conventional short form

Namibia

Data code

WA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeffrey A. BADER

embassy

Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

(61) 221601

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU

telephone

(202) 986-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Samuel NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Samuel NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Samuel NUJOMA 77%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

head of government

President Samuel NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(202) 986-0443

(61) 229792

Flag description

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 that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Government type

republic

Independence

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

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)

election results

National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 77%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

elections

National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 2004)

note

the National Council is a purely advisory body

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Political parties and leaders

Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG ; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO ; United Democratic Front or UDF

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Budget

expenditures

$950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

revenues

$883 million

Currency

1 Namibian dollar (N$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$159 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$127 million (1998)

Economy - overview

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. Half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is four times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorer countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. GDP growth should improve in 2000-01, because of gains in the diamond and fish sectors. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment.

Electricity - consumption

1.81 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

56 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

890 million kWh (1999)

note

imports electricity from South Africa

Electricity - production

1.198 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

2%

hydro

98%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1999)

Exchange rates

Namibian dollars (N$) per US$1 - 6.12439 (January 2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995)

Exports

$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

12%

industry

30%

services

58% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 84%, Germany, US, Japan (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

10% (1994)

Industries

meat packing, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.5% (1999)

Labor force

500,000

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 47%, industry 25%, services 28% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios

232,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital

international

fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

100,848 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

20,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

60,000 (1997)

Airports

135 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

22 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

113 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 21 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

5,250 km

total

63,258 km

unpaved

58,008 km (1997 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Railways

narrow gauge

2,382 km 1.067-m gauge; single track (1995)

total

2,382 km

Military branches

National Defense Force (Army), Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$90 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.6% (FY97/98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 416,529 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 248,581 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River resolved by the ICJ in favor of Botswana (13 December 1999); at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested

NAURU