Namibia has some of the most spectacular desert ecosystems in the world. For travellers the highlights of the country include diverse tribal people, fabulous wildlife viewing, rare & strange plants and the stark beauty of the various desert landscapes.
Namibia has some of the most spectacular desert ecosystems in the world. For travellers the highlights of the country include diverse tribal people, fabulous wildlife viewing, rare & strange plants and the stark beauty of the various desert landscapes.
Namibia’s 26 parks and reserves range from the open bush of the centre and the north where wildlife is relatively plentiful, to the inhospitable coastal strip with its huge sand dunes. Many of the animals found in Namibia are uniquely adapted to life in this harsh desert country. For the best game viewing a Namibian safari should include Etosha National Park, which harbours 114 mammal species.
Namibia is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries and most of the people live in the north as the south is particularly lacking in water. Namibia’s population can be divided into at least 11 ethnic groups, the biggest group of which is the Owambo people however as a result of the unfortunate apartheid era the division of people into cultural or tribal groups is an extremely sensitive issue and most people prefer to think of themselves as Namibians.
Owambo, Herero, Himba, Kaokoland, Welwitschia, Kokerboom, Swakop …. All strange and unusual names and that is what Namibia is – strangely beautiful, unusually fascinating and well, well worth the journey.
Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is situated in almost the exact centre of Namibia. It is home to approximately two hundred thousand people and despite its fast growth the city centre is clean and safe. Windhoek city is characterised by German architecture, a lasting reminder of Namibia’s early colonial history.
Etosha National Park, covers an incredible 22,207 sq kms and is home to 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish. A massive mineral pan, dominates Etosha, which means “Great White Place”.
Swakopmund, is a popular seaside resort with a slightly nostalgic atmosphere and offering many adventure options from deep-sea fishing to quad biking and parachute jumps. Numerous colonial buildings characterize the townscape. Swakop (as the local’s call it) offers quite a vibrant nightlife including a casino in the historic railway station.
The Skeleton Coast, is the scene of many shipwrecks and Cape Cross where the Portuguese navigator Diego Cao placed a cross in 1486. These days the Cape is more famed for its amazing (and smelly) cape seal-breeding colony with over 250,000 seals.
The Namib Naukluft, Park’s main attractions are Sossusvlei (surrounded by giant sand dunes), Sandwich Harbour, the Naukluft Mountains and rare plant species such as Welwitschia Mirabilis, and the rare Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra.
Fish River Canyon, is up to 550 meters deep and is the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon, USA. The enormous gorge winds along a distance of 160 kilometers through the fissured Koubis massif all the way down to the hot springs at Ai-Ais.
Kaokoland, in the far north of Namibia is strictly for the more adventurous. The scenery is dramatic, there are small pockets of desert-adapted game, and it is home to the Himba people.
The permanent waters of the Kunene River provide a beautiful oasis and adventure activities.
NAMIBIA FACTS
Country Republic of Namibia
Capital Windhoek
Government type Republic
Independence Granted on 21 March 1990 from South African mandate
Population 1,820,916 (July 2002 estimate)
Nationality Noun is Namibian(s
Adjective Namibian
Ethnic groups
About 6% of Namibians are of European background, 6.5% are of mixed race and about 87.5% are black Africans. Of these about 50% belong to the Ovambo tribe, 9% to the Kavangos tribe and other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions
Christian 80% to 90% of these at least 50% are Lutheran. The remainder of the people follow indigenous beliefs
Languages
English is the official language though Afrikaans is commonly spoken by most of the population. German and indigenous languages such as Oshivambo, Herero, Nama are widely spoken.
Currency Namibian dollar
Area 825,418 sq km making it just a bit more than half the size of Alaska
Borders
The western coast is the Atlantic Ocean, land borders are shared with Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia
Economic overview
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export and mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of non-fuel minerals in Africa and the world’s fifth-largest producer of uranium. Namibia also produces large quantities of gem-quality diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. The majority of people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreign companies.
Worth noting is the fact that Namibia was the 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
NAMIBIA CLIMATE INFORMATION
With 300 sunny days per year, Namibia is definitely a sunny country. Rainfall comes in heavy thunderstorms during the summer months (November to February).
NAMIBIA – DISTANCE WISE
Distances given are often via the most practical route and that is not always the shortest route. Likewise African roads
can be very poor and travel can be very slow.
WITHIN NAMIBIA KMS MILES
Keetmanshop to Luderitz 334 206
Keetmanshop to Etosha (West) 917 565
Keetmanshop to Ruacana 1342 828
Keetmanshop to Swakopmund 840 518
Keetmanshop to Windhoek 463 286
Luderitz to Etosha (West) 1253 773
Luderitz to Ruacana 1676 1034
Luderitz to Swakopmund 731 451
Luderitz to Windhoek 334 206
Etosha (west) to Ruacana 534 329
Etosha (west) to Swakopmund 561 346
Etosha (west) to Windhoek 435 268
Ruacana to Swakopmund 684 422
Ruacana to Windhoek 860 530
Swakopmund to Windhoek 356 220
REGIONAL DISTANCES
Johannesburg to Gaberone 359 221
Johannesburg to Maun 1273 785
Johannesburg to Windhoek 1781 1098
Cape Town to Windhoek 1480 913
