Namibia (2001) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
42.74% (male 389,028; female 379,229) 15-64 years: 53.54% (male 480,075; female 482,375) 65 years and over: 3.72% (male 29,109; female 37,861) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
Airports | 131 (2000 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
110 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
Area - comparative | slightly more than half the size of Alaska | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | South Africa occupied the German colony of Sud-West Afrika 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. Independence came in 1990. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. |
Birth rate | 34.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues:
$883 million expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | Windhoek | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
Coastline | 1,572 km | 26 km |
Constitution | ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Currency | Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) | - |
Death rate | 20.9 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $217 million (2000 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Jeffrey A. BADER embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $127 million (1998) | $NA |
Economy - overview | The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. Half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is four times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorer countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. GDP growth in 2000 was led by gains in the diamond and fish sectors. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment. Growth in 2001 could be 5.5% provided the world economy remains stable. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.948 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 56 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 890 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (1999) |
- |
Electricity - production | 1.198 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
2% hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% |
Europeans, Cocos Malays |
Exchange rates | Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.78307 (January 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government 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 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins | copra |
Exports - partners | UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.) | Australia (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
12% industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 17 00 E | 12 30 S, 96 50 E |
Geography - note | - | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
Highways | total:
63,258 km paved: 5,250 km unpaved: 58,008 km (1997 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals | foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.) | Australia (2006) |
Independence | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | - |
Industries | meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) | copra products and tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 71.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9.1% (2000) | - |
International organization participation | AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 60 sq km (1993 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 500,000 | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land boundaries | total:
3,824 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 22% other: 31% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | 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 | Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
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 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1, note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
40.62 years male: 42.48 years female: 38.71 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1960 est.) |
NA |
Location | Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force |
Military branches | National Defense Force (Army), Police | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $104.4 million (2001) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.6% (FY97/98) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
427,067 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
255,016 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 March (1990) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun:
Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
Natural hazards | prolonged periods of drought | cyclone season is October to April |
Natural resources | diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore |
fish |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Political parties and leaders | 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 NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 1,797,677
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 2001 est.) |
596 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 1.38% (2001 est.) | 0% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Luderitz, Walvis Bay | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 232,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge; single track (1995) |
- |
Religions | Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
Sex ratio | 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA |
Telephone system | 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: 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 |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 100,848 (1997) | 287 (1992) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | 4.83 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.) | 60% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |