Namibia

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.

Capital: Windhoek

Government: Republic

Economy:

• 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.
• World’s fourth-largest producer of uranium.

Population: 2.3 million (UN 2011)

Land Size: 824,292 sq km (318,261 sq miles)

Major Ethic Groups:

• black: 87.5%
• white: 6%
• mixed: 6.5%

Religions:

• Christian: 80~90%
• Indigenous beliefs: 10~20%

Language(s):

• English (official): 7%
• Afrikaans (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population)
• German: 32%
• Indigenous languages (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama): 1%

For more information about Namibia, please visit:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html