Namibia Embassy

2,198,406

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

Africa

WINDHOEK (capital) 380,000 (2011)

Oshiwambo languages 48.9%, Nama/Damara 11.3%, Afrikaans 10.4% (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population), Otjiherero languages 8.6%, Kavango languages 8.5%, Caprivi languages 4.8%, English (official) 3.4%, other African languages 2.3%, other 1.7%

black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%

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

South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa 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 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. POHAMBA was reelected in November 2009.

1,572 km

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

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

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish