General Background(1)
Geography & Climate
The Republic of Namibia is part of sub-Saharan Africa and is located in the southern region of the continent. The country is bordered to the north by Angola, west by Botswana, south by South Africa, and east by the Atlantic Ocean. The country covers slightly more than half of Alaska in land area with 318,261 sq mi. Windhoek, the capital, is located in the center of the country, with villages and small towns occupying much of the northern regions. The climate is arid, with a short rainy season during the summer (December & January). The terrain consists primarily of high plateaus with the Namib Desert along the coast. Demographics A 2011 census reported the Namibian population at 2.16 million, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Of the population, 87.5% are black, 6% are white, and 6.5% are multiracial. Approximately 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe, 9% to the Kavangos tribe, 7% to both the Herero and Damara tribes, and the remainder to smaller tribes. English is the official language although a small percentage of the population can fluently speak the language. Afrikaans is the most commonly spoken language throughout Namibia, with Afrikaans and German the languages spoken most by the white population. Tribal languages including Oshivambo, Herero, and Nama are also widely spoken. Eighty to ninety percent of the population are Christian, with the remainder participating in indigenous beliefs. In 2010, 38% of the population resided in urban areas. HIV/AIDS remains a challenge for Namibia's population with an adult prevalence rate of roughly 13% (2009). In 2010, the unemployment rate was reported at a staggering 51.2% as measured by the 2008 Namibia Labour Force Survey. History Namibia was first inhabited by the Bushmen, Nama, Damara, and Bantu from central Africa in the 14th century AD. Overall, tribal interactions were peaceful, with the exception of the Nama-Herero War which was resolved by German intervention. Namibia was colonized by Germany in 1884 and thus named German South-West Africa. From 1904 to 1907. the Herero and Namaqua fought against German forces, resulting in a genocide that killed 10,000 Nama and 65,000 Herero. In 1920, the League of Nations mandated the country to South Africa where it remained under its rule and apartheid policy until it gained independence. The guerrilla group, South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), began the fight for independence in 1966 and on March 21, 1990, Namibia was declared an independent nation. Following independence, SWAPO became the primary political party and Sam Nujoma took office as the first president of Namibia. Nujoma resided as president for 14 years until Hifikipunye Pohamba become president in 2005. Pohamba was re-elected in 2009 and is Namibia's current president. Find out more information related to Namibia's history through this timeline. |
Namibia Quick Facts(2)
|
1. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13890723
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13890723