Luxembourg (2004) | Namibia (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg | 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19% (male 45,422; female 42,638)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 155,519; female 151,891) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 26,981; female 40,239) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products | millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish |
Airports | 2 (2003 est.) | 136 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 115
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 825,418 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly more than half the size of Alaska |
Background | Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. | 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 won its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. 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 | 12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760 million (2003 est.) |
revenues: $1.434 billion
expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003) |
Capital | Luxembourg | Windhoek |
Climate | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers | desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 1,572 km |
Constitution | 17 October 1868, occasional revisions | ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
Currency | euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) |
Death rate | 8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $1.04 billion (2003 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco |
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 |
Disputes - international | none | commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited; Angolan rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $147 million (2002) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | ODA $160 million (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for more than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country has maintained a fairly strong growth rate and enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living. | The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. 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 the great inequality of income distribution; nearly one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish production led growth in 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | 6.07 billion kWh (2001) | 603.1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 744 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 6.389 billion kWh (2001) | 578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001) |
Electricity - production | 457 million kWh (2001) | 26.95 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
Environment - current issues | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland | very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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 | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers) | 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 are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) | Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP |
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since November 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August 2002) 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; election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - NA% |
Exports | 634 bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass | diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins |
Exports - partners | Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 6.8%, Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003) | EU 79%, US 4% (2001) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France | a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $25.01 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 16.6% services: 82.9% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 29.8% services: 58.7% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2003 est.) | 3.3% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 49 45 N, 6 10 E | 22 00 S, 17 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world | 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 |
Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 66,467 km
paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | 50,700 bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods | foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003) | US 50%, EU 31% (2001) |
Independence | 1839 (from the Netherlands) | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.7% (2003 est.) | NA |
Industries | banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum | meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2003 est.) | 7.3% (2003) |
International organization participation | ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.) | 70 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) |
Labor force | 200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003) | 760,000 (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.9%, industry 8%, services 90.1% (1999 est.) | agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km |
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: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001) |
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.01% (2001) |
Languages | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) | English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama |
Legal system | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution |
Legislative branch | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister |
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 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years female: 82.07 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 40.53 years
male: 42.36 years female: 38.64 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84% male: 84.4% female: 83.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, between France and Germany | Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 11, container 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: Belgium 7, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 3, Germany 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 5, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 7, United States 3 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
none (2004 est.) |
Military branches | Army | Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing), Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $231.6 million (2003) | $111.6 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (2003) | 2.5% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 115,721 (2004 est.) | males age 15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 95,107 (2004 est.) | males age 15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 2,601 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June | Independence Day, 21 March (1990) |
Nationality | noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian |
Natural hazards | NA | prolonged periods of drought |
Natural resources | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land | diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore |
Net migration rate | 8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 155 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYOEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties | Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union) | NA |
Population | 462,690 (July 2004 est.) | 1,954,033
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 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 50% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.28% (2004 est.) | 1.25% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mertert | Luderitz, Walvis Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001) |
Railways | total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003) |
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | 87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000) | Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America) |
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 355,400 (2002) | 127,400 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 473,000 (2002) | 223,700 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (1999) | 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast | mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.6% (2003 est.) | 35% (1998) |
Waterways | 37 km (on Moselle River) (2003) | - |