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.
Geography ::Namibia
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 824,292 sq km
country comparison to the world: 34
land: 823,290 sq km
water: 1,002 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline:
1,572 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
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
Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
80 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
45.5 cu km (1991)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%)
per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water 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 ::Namibia
Population:
2,108,665
country comparison to the world: 143
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, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 21.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.95% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Birth rate:
22.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Death rate:
13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Urbanization:
urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.51 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 55
male: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.24 years
country comparison to the world: 205
male: 51.61 years
female: 50.86 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.69 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
15.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
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)
Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian
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 include Herero 7%, Damara
7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions:
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10%
to 20%
Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 86.8%
female: 83.5% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2003)
country comparison to the world: 26
Government ::Namibia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
local long form: Republic of Namibia
local short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:
republic
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
Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004
(next to be held in November 2009)
election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA
5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%
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)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to
determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004
(next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held
15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -
SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by
party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP
1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4,
NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
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 [Ben 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 [Henk 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:
Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group);
National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information
Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO
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 G. Dennise MATHIEU
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
Economy ::Namibia
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 fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in
Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the
producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and
tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population
while about half 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.
The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the
Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.
Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since
independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a
new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of
zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but
growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high
costs for metal inputs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.28 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
$12.9 billion (2007 est.)
$12.23 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.835 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5.5% (2007 est.)
7.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,400 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
$6,200 (2007 est.)
$6,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 37%
services: 54% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
686,000 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47%
industry: 20%
services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Population below poverty line:
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
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70.7 (2003)
country comparison to the world: 1
Investment (gross fixed):
23.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Budget:
revenues: $2.661 billion
expenditures: $2.745 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
20% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
6.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 35
10.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.74% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 61
12.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.983 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 72
$2.149 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.158 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
$1.493 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.43 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 86
$4.446 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$618.7 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 100
$702 million (31 December 2007)
$541.8 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds,
lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production:
1.65 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Electricity - consumption:
3.175 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Electricity - exports:
40 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.045 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007
est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - imports:
19,120 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Current account balance:
$239.8 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
$693.2 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.167 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
$2.922 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish,
karakul skins
Imports:
$3.849 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
$3.102 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
$896 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
$1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18
(2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:
140,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 137
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.052 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 141
Telephone system:
general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and
mobile-cellular teledensity of about 55 per 100 persons
domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and
connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular
network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of
Namibia by area
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2007)
Internet country code:
.na
Internet hosts:
17,840 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 105
Internet users:
113,500 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 149
Transportation ::Namibia
Airports:
129 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 44
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 108
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 11 (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,629 km
country comparison to the world: 64
narrow gauge: 2,629 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 42,237 km
country comparison to the world: 86
paved: 5,406 km
unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 155
by type: cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military ::Namibia
Military branches:
Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 329,614
females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,857
female: 25,505 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 36
Transnational Issues ::Namibia
Disputes - 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Nauru (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Nauru
Background:
The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language
does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed
by Germany in 1888. Its phosphate deposits began to be mined early
in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was
occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became
a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a
brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It
achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the
world's smallest independent republic.
Geography ::Nauru
Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands
Geographic coordinates:
0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 21 sq km
country comparison to the world: 238
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
30 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
February)
Terrain:
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
phosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
People ::Nauru
Population:
14,019 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 2,482/female 2,384)
15-64 years: 63.2% (male 4,362/female 4,495)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 151/female 145) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.6 years
male: 21 years
female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.748% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Birth rate:
23.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Death rate:
6.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.25 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 154
male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.2 years
country comparison to the world: 168
male: 60.58 years
female: 68.01 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions: