Namibia (2001) | Tokelau (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa | none (territory of New Zealand) |
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: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% |
Agriculture - products | millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish |
Airports | 131 (2000 est.) | - |
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.) |
- |
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: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than half the size of Alaska | about 17 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. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
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: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.) |
Capital | Windhoek | none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 1,572 km | 101 km |
Constitution | ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
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 | - | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status |
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 New Zealand) |
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 New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution |
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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.948 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 56 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 890 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (1999) |
- |
Electricity - production | 1.198 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
2% hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification | limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
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% |
Polynesian |
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) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) |
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 Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $0 f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.) | New Zealand (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
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 New Zealand is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
12% industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 17 00 E | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | - | consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level |
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.) | $969,200 c.i.f. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.) | New Zealand (2006) |
Independence | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | - |
Industries | meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
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) | NA% |
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 | PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
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 in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | 500,000 | 440 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) | - |
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% (soil is thin and infertile)
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 | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution | New Zealand and local statutes |
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 General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has six seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Atafu has eight seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008) |
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 | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
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) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun:
Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian |
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | prolonged periods of drought | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
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 |
NEGL |
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.) |
1,449 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.38% (2001 est.) | -0.018% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Luderitz, Walvis Bay | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002) |
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% | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
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.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
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: modern satellite-based communications system
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations |
Telephones - main lines in use | 100,848 (1997) | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997) | - |
Terrain | mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | 4.83 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | none | - |