Located on the southwestern coast of Africa, Namibia is a relatively new country. It gained independence from South Africa only in 1990. After independence Namibia earned respect for its stable government and its efforts to protect its unique wildlife and environment. The capital is Windhoek.
Namibia covers an area of 318,580 square miles (825,118 square kilometers). It is bordered by Angola on the north, Botswana on the east, South Africa on the south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. A narrow strip of land in the northeastern corner projects between Angola and Botswana and touches Zambia.
Namibia has three major geographic regions. Along the Atlantic coast is the barren Namib Desert. This area is characterized by sand dunes and bare rocks. East of the Namib is the Central Plateau, with elevations ranging from 3,200 to 6,500 feet (975 to 1,980 meters). The plateau covers about half of the country. On its eastern side the plateau gradually slopes downward into the third region, the sandy Kalahari Desert. Namibia's only permanent rivers are the Kunene, the Okavango, the Mashi, and the Zambezi on the northern border and the Orange on the southern border.
The climate in Namibia is generally dry and hot. Summer temperatures in the Namib Desert can reach 120° F (49° C). Rainfall is unreliable, and the country sometimes experiences long droughts.
Both the Namib and Kalahari deserts have little vegetation. The Central Plateau is covered mainly with scrub and grass. Trees are much more common in the north.
Despite its dry landscape, Namibia is rich in animal life. It is home to lions, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, elephants and rhinoceroses. Etosha National Park is one of the largest game parks in the world.
More than 80 percent of Namibia's population is black African. The largest ethnic group is the Ovambo, which makes up about half of the population. Whites account for about 6 percent of the population. They are mainly of German, English, and Dutch descent. English is the official language, but various African languages are much more widely spoken. German and Afrikaans (a language based on Dutch) are also commonly used. The majority of the population is Christian.
About 60 percent of Namibians live in rural areas. The north is the most densely populated region. Very few people live in the Namib. The largest city is Windhoek, the capital.
Namibia has one of the best health-care systems in Africa. Most rural areas are served by some kind of modern medical facility. In the 1990s the disease AIDS became a serious health problem in Namibia, as it did in many other African countries.
Namibia has some of the largest mineral deposits in Africa, and mining is central to the economy. The country is a leading producer of diamonds and uranium. Other important minerals include zinc, copper, silver, and gold.
Nearly half of the people support themselves by farming, herding, or fishing. Agriculture is dominated by the raising of cattle and sheep. The Karakul sheep is raised in the south for its high-quality pelt. Some roots and tubers, millet, corn (maize), fruits, and vegetables are grown. The fishing industry grew in the 1990s and offered much potential for development. Manufacturing centers on the processing of meat and fish.
Tourism began to expand in Namibia in the 1990s. The country's natural beauty and wildlife are major attractions.
The earliest people to live in the area that is now Namibia were the San (or Bushmen). They followed a nomadic (wandering) way of life based on hunting and gathering. Over the centuries other African peoples settled in the area.
In the late 1480s Portuguese explorers visited the Namibian coast, and later the Dutch and English explored the area. German missionaries arrived in the 1840s. By the 1880s the Germans had established colonial rule over the area, which they called South West Africa. German settlers took most of the good farmland from the Africans. In the early 20th century the Herero people began a war of resistance against the Germans, who responded with great brutality. The war reduced the Herero population by about 90 percent.
During World War I South African troops captured South West Africa. After the war South Africa governed the territory under a mandate (order) from the League of Nations. The white-controlled government of South Africa imposed in South West Africa its racist policies known as apartheid. The United Nations voted to end the mandate in 1964 and recognized the name Namibia in 1968. South Africa refused to give up control of the territory, however.
A group called the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) fought for Namibia's independence. In 1988 South Africa finally agreed to end its rule. Namibia became independent in 1990 under a government led by SWAPO. The nation's first president, Sam Nujoma, was reelected in 1994 and 1999. Population (2001 estimate), 1,798,000.
