Namibia (2008)

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Administrative divisions	13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Age structure	0-14 years: 37.7% (male 390,448/female 383,698) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 606,239/female 597,512) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 34,926/female 42,257) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Airports	137 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 116 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 20 (2007)
Area	total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Background	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 was soon named 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.
Birth rate	23.52 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.561 billion expenditures: $2.483 billion (2007 est.)
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
Climate	desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Coastline	1,572 km
Constitution	ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
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
Death rate	19.15 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$1.429 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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
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
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
Economic aid - recipient	ODA, $123.4 million (2005 est.)
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.
Electricity - consumption	2.863 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	78 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	1.567 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Electricity - production	1.688 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Environment - current issues	very 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
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 includes Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Exchange rates	Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
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%
Exports	78 million kWh (2005)
Exports	$2.87 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Exports - partners	South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2006)
Fiscal year	1 April - 31 March
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
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 10.6% industry: 30.8% services: 58.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	22 00 S, 17 00 E
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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)
Imports	1.567 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Imports	$2.82 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports	0 cu m (2005)
Imports	17,580 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners	South Africa 85.2%, US (2006)
Independence	21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Industrial production growth rate	4.6% (2007 est.)
Industries	meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Infant mortality rate	total: 47.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	6.7% (2007 est.)
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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	80 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
Labor force	660,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km
Land use	arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99% (2005)
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)
Legal system	based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 43.11 years male: 44.39 years female: 41.79 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census)
Location	Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Map references	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2007)
Military branches	Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2006)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	3.7% (2006)
National holiday	Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Nationality	noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian
Natural hazards	prolonged periods of drought
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
Net migration rate	0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	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 [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA
Population	2,055,080 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
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
Population growth rate	0.478% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Railways	total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Religions	Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.015 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.827 male(s)/female total population: 1.008 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 30 per 100 persons domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-phone 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
Telephones - main lines in use	138,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	495,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	2 (2007)
Terrain	mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Total fertility rate	2.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.3% (2006 est.)

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