Namibia

Internet country code

.na

Internet hosts

3,164 (2003)

Internet users

65,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

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: 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

127,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

223,700 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Budget

revenues: $1.434 billion expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003)

Currency

Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code

NAD; ZAR

Current account balance

$123 million (2003)

Debt - external

$1.04 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

70 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

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

603.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - production

26.95 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Exports

$1.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners

EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11.5% industry: 29.8% services: 58.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.8% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

760,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

50% (2002 est.)

Public debt

35.6% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$325.2 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

35% (1998)

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

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline

1,572 km

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

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

Irrigated land

70 sq km (1998 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% other: 99.01% (2001)

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

Natural hazards

prolonged periods of drought

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Administrative divisions

13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Capital

Windhoek

Constitution

ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Executive branch

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%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

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 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

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 Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 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.

Military branches

Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing), Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$111.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Age structure

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.)

Birth rate

33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

21.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

210,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

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.)

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

Life expectancy at birth

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: 84% male: 84.4% female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 18.3 years male: 18 years female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

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 growth rate

1.25% (2004 est.)

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: 1.03 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.)

Total fertility rate

4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

136 (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 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

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.)

Highways

total: 66,467 km paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Merchant marine

none (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Railways

total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)