Namibia In A Nut Shell

Geographic Location:

The Republic of Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country situated along the south Atlantic coast of Africa between 17 and 29 degrees south of the Equator.  With its surface area of 824 268 square kilometers, Namibia is the 31^st largest country in the world.  It stretches for about 1 300 km from south to north and varies from 480 to 930 km in width from west to east.

Namibia, previously known as South West Africa, is bordered by South Africa in the south, Angola and Zambia in the north and Botswana and Zimbabwe in the east.  The oldest desert in the world, the Namib Desert stretches along the whole west coast of the country, while the Kalahari Desert runs along its southeastern border with Botswana.

The country is demarcated into 13 regions, namely the Caprivi, Kavango, Kunene, Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshana and Oshikoto regions in the north, the Omaheke. Otjozondjupa, Erongo and Khomas Regions in the central areas and the Hardap and Karas regions in the south.

Languages Spoken in Namibia:

English is the official language, but Namibia’s relatively small population is extraordinarily diverse in language and culture.  More than 11 languages are indigenous to Namibia but with its cosmopolitan society, languages from around the world are spoken in Namibia.  People commonly speak two or three languages and more than 50% of the population speak Oshiwambo.  Due to the country’s colonial history Afrikaans, the language of the previous South African occupiers is still widely spoken and functions as the lingua franca in Namibia.  Namibia has a small number of Khoisan speaking people, known as the Bushmen or San.

Indigenous languages are included in the school syllabus at primary level.  From secondary level English is the medium of instruction.  Among European languages spoken in Namibia are German, Portuguese, Spanish and French.  According to the 2001 census figures the main indigenous languages are:

• Oshiwambo spoken by 48% of households

• Nama/Damara spoken by 11% of households

• Afrikaans spoken by 11 % of households

• RuKwangali spoken by 10% of households; and

• Otjiherero spoken by 8% of households.

The Capital City:

The capital city Windhoek is situated 1 650 meters above sea level in the central highlands of the Khomas region and has an estimated population of 233 529 (2001 Census).  Windhoek is a cosmopolitan city with excellent hotels, restaurants, shops, banks and hospital facilities and houses the three branches of government, namely the executive, legislature and judiciary. 

Namibia's Climate:

The Namibian climate varies from arid and semi-arid to subtropical with the generally temperate desert coast offering sometimes fog-ridden days with temperatures between 5° C and 20°C.  The central, southern and coastal areas constitute some of the most arid landscapes south of the Sahara.  The hottest months are January and February, with average day temperatures varying between 9°C to 30°C. During the winter months that stretch from May to September minimum temperatures can fluctuate between –6°C and 10°C at night to recover to 20°C after 11:00 in the day.  Frost occurs over large areas of the country during winter, but in general winter days are clear, cloudless and sunny.

Overall Namibia is a summer rainfall area, with limited showers occurring from October and building up to peak in January and February.

Namibia's Unique Landscape:

Perennial rivers are found only on the country’s borders, being the Orange River on the southern border and the Kunene, Okavango, Kwando and Zambesi Rivers on the northern border.

The Namibian landscape varied from vast expanses of desert and sand dunes to rock formations in the south, contrasting starkly to the savannah and woodlands of the central regions and the lush and forested scenery of the northeast.  The Brandberg with a height of 2 579 meters in the southern Kunene region is Namibia’s highest mountain.  Other mountains are the Auas Mountain with its 2 479 m Von Moltkeblick peak, the Gamsberg (2 347 m), the Erongo Mountain (2 319 m), the Karas Mountain (2 202 m), the 1 900m Eros Mountain and Brukkaros (1 603 m), a well known sight between the southern towns of Keetmanshoop and Mariental.  In the south the Fish River Canyon is one of the wonders of Africa.  The 161 km long, 27 km wide ravine with a maximum depth of 550m is surrounded by high, forbidding cliffs, and is gashed into the plateau with startling abruptness.  The awesome grandeur of the canyon is surpassed only by the Grand Canyon in the United States of America. 

Population:

Namibia’s population is 1 830 330 million and the current growth rate is 2.6 percent.  According to the 2001 Population Census the country has a relatively youthful population with 39% of the population under 15 years of age and only 7% over 60. Despite rapid urbanisation, Namibia is still a mainly rural society with 33% of the population living in urban areas.  Regional population densities vary enormously with almost two-thirds of the population living in four of the northern regions and less than one tenth of the population living in the south.  (Figures are based on the 2001 Population Census)

Namibian Culture:

Namibians are a heterogeneous society of many cultures.  The oldest inhabitants, the San, are great storytellers and love music, mimicry and dance.  The Nama of the south also have a great oral tradition of poetry and prose and a natural talent for music.  Eight Owambo sub-tribes live in Namibia, the largest being the Kwanyama.  The most striking feature of the traditional Owambo social system is that of matrilineal descent.  The Herero are a pastoral cattle-breeding people, whose women wear Victorian-style dresses adapted from the wives of Rhenish missionaries.  The Himba women (of Herero descent) rub their bodies with a mixture of red ochre and fat, wear traditional body ornaments and garments, and have hairstyles that correspond to their age, sex and social status.