Namibia
Republic of Namibia
Capital: Windhoek
History
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 became 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 has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. 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. POHAMBA was reelected in November 2009.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
824,292
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
3,936
km
|
| Border Countries |
Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km |
| Coastline |
1,572
km
|
| Terrain |
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
2,606
m
|
| Climate |
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic |
| Natural Resources |
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish |
| Arable Land |
0.97% |
| Permanent Crops |
0.01% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$4.66 billion |
| Export Items |
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium |
| Export Partners |
No data |
| Imports |
$5.76 billion |
| Import Items |
foodstuffs |
| Import Partners |
No data |
People
Energy
