Namibia
Capital: Windhoek · Southern Africa
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa.
Photo: Winfried Bruenken ( Amrum ), CC BY-SA 2.5 · source
Quiver Tree Forest near Keetmanshoop, Namibia, in the evening
Photo: Hans Stieglitz, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Did you know?
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been inhabited since prehistoric times by the Khoi, San, Damara and Nama people. Around the 14th century, immigrating Bantu peoples arrived as part of the Bantu expansion. From 1600, the Owambo formed kingdoms, such as Ondonga and Oukwanyama. In 1884, the German Empire established rule over most of the territory, forming a colony known as German South West Africa. Between 1904–08, German troops waged a punitive campaign against the Herero and Nama which escalated into the first genocide of the 20th century.
Wikipedia: Namibia – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sand dunes in the Namib-Naukluft National Park , Namibia. Older dunes are reddish and larger, newer dunes are yellow-brown.
Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Huge dune in Km 39, Sossusvlei , Namibia .
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Dune ripples in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, between Dead Vlei and Sossusvlei.
Photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
History
The name of the country is derived from the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world. The word Namib itself is of Khoi origin and means "vast place". The name was chosen by Mburumba Kerina, who originally proposed "Republic of Namib". Before Namibia became independent in 1990, its territory was known first as German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), and then as South West Africa, reflecting its colonial occupation by Germans and South Africans, respectively.
"The dry lands of Namibia have been inhabited since prehistoric times by the San, Damara, and Nama.
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Dune 45 in Sossusvlei (Namibia) at sunrise. Dune 45 is composed of iron-rich quartz sand, whose deepening red tones result from the gradual oxidation of iron over…
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Beware of crocodiles sign at the Kunene River at Epupa Falls, Namibia.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Geography
At 825,615 km2 (318,772 sq mi), Namibia is the world's 34th largest country (after Venezuela). It lies mostly between latitudes 17° and 29°S (a small area is north of 17°), and longitudes 11° and 26°E.
The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation, with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Great Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert.
Namibia is situated between the Namib and Kalahari Deserts.
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Dioptase with calcite and minrecordite - Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia (5.5x4cm).
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Bushman's Paradise at Spitzkoppe
Photo: Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Government and politics
Namibia is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic. The President of Namibia is elected to a five-year term and is both the head of state and the head of government. All members of the government are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature.
The Constitution of Namibia outlines the following as the organs of the country's government:
Executive: executive power is exercised by the President and the Government.
Legislature: Namibia has a bicameral Parliament with the National Assembly as lower house, and the National Council as the upper house.
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Dunes and shadows in Sossusvlei , Namibia .
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
One of the dead trees in the clay pan at Dead Vlei in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Economy
The trans-African automobile route – the Tripoli-Cape Town Highway and the Trans-Kalahari Corridor pass through Namibia. Namibia's economy is tied closely to South Africa's due to their shared history. In Q3 2023, the largest economic sectors were mining (18.0% of GDP), public administration (12.9%), manufacturing (10.1%), and education (9.2%).
Namibia has a highly developed banking and financial services sector with modern infrastructures, such as online banking and cellphone banking.
Wikipedia: Namibia – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sun setting in the Namib desert, Namibia. The sun is not a perfect circle on the horizon due to atmospheric refraction, a phenomenon where Earth's atmosphere bends…
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Himba village about 15 km north of Opuwo, Namibia.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Demographics
Namibia has the second-lowest population density of any sovereign country, after Mongolia, as well as having the lowest population density of any sovereign country with a coastline. In 2017 there were on average 3.08 people per km2. The total fertility rate in 2015 was 3.47 children per woman according to the UN which is lower than the average TFR in sub-Saharan Africa of 4.7.
Namibia conducts a census every ten years.
Wikipedia: Namibia – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dunes and shadows in Sossusvlei , Namibia .
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Tropic of Capricorn sign close to the ... well, Tropic of Capricorn in Namibia.
Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Culture
Namibian culture is similar to South African culture due to their tied history and family nationalities. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland, have a strong national identity, and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Namibians are typically very social and are consistently among the highest alcohol consumption rates per capita, and ranked first in Africa for beer consumption per capita.
The most popular sport in Namibia is association football.
Wikipedia: Namibia – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0