Namibia (2001) | Virgin Islands (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa | none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas |
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: 23.8% (male 13,116; female 12,770)
15-64 years: 66% (male 33,944; female 37,870) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 4,855; female 6,220) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | 131 (2000 est.) | 2 (2003 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.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 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.) |
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Area | total:
825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than half the size of Alaska | twice the size of 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. | During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. |
Birth rate | 34.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$883 million expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998) |
revenues: $560
expenditures: NA (2003) |
Capital | Windhoek | Charlotte Amalie |
Climate | desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November |
Coastline | 1,572 km | 188 km |
Constitution | ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
Currency | Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 20.9 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $217 million (2000 est.) | NA |
Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
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 the US) |
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 the US) |
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. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.948 billion kWh (1999) | 957.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 56 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 890 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (1999) |
0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 1.198 billion kWh (1999) | 1.03 billion kWh (2001) |
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: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification | lack of natural freshwater resources |
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 |
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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% |
black 78%, white 10%, other 12%
note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%, other 2% |
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) | the US dollar is used |
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: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4% |
Exports | $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.) | US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 October - 30 September |
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 | white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
12% industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 2% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 17 00 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
Geography - note | - | important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean |
Highways | total:
63,258 km paved: 5,250 km unpaved: 58,008 km (1997 est.) |
total: 856 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
Imports - partners | South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.) | US, Puerto Rico |
Independence | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA |
Industries | meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
Infant mortality rate | 71.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9.1% (2000) | 2.2% (2003) |
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 | Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 60 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | 500,000 | 48,900 (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) | agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 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: 11.76%
permanent crops: 2.94% other: 85.29% (2001) |
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 | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution | based on US 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 Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
40.62 years male: 42.48 years female: 38.71 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.75 years
male: 74.91 years female: 82.82 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1960 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
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.) | none |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
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) | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
Nationality | noun:
Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian |
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
Natural hazards | prolonged periods of drought | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
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 |
sun, sand, sea, surf |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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] | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
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.) |
108,775 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 1.38% (2001 est.) | -0.05% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Luderitz, Walvis Bay | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998) | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (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% | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
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.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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: NA
domestic: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 100,848 (1997) | 69,400 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 41,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 2 (2002) |
Terrain | mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | 4.83 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.) | 9.3% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |