Namibia

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 40, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

62,800 telephones; telephone density - 38/1,000 persons local: good urban services intercity: fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire international: NA

Television

broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA

Branches

National Defense Force (Army), Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $54 million, 2% of GDP (FY93/94) NAURU

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 348,380; males fit for military service 206,684 (1995 est.)

Agriculture

accounts for 10% of GDP; livestock raising major source of cash income; crops - millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled

Budget

revenues: $941 million expenditures: $1.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $157 million (FY93/94)

Currency

1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $47.2 million

Electricity

capacity: 406,000 kW production: 1.29 billion kWh consumption per capita: 658 kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

South African rand (R) per US$1 - 3.539 (January 1995), 3.5489 (1994), 3.2678 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7653 (1991), 2.5863 (1990)

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, processed fish, karakul skins partners: Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Japan

External debt

about $385 million (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Imports

$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment partners: South Africa, Germany, US, Switzerland

Industrial production

growth rate -14% (1993); accounts for 30% of GDP, including mining

Industries

meat packing, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11% (1994)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$3,600 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

5.8% (1994 est.)

Overview

The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 25% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. More than half the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food.

Unemployment rate

35% in urban areas (1993 est.)

Area

total area: 825,418 sq km land area: 825,418 sq km comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline

1,572 km

Environment

current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

International disputes

short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili ( Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in mid-February 1995 and the parties agreed to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice;

Irrigated land

40 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 3,824 km, Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 64% forest and woodland: 22% other: 13%

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

13 districts; Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Caprivi (Liambezi), Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Capital

Windhoek

Constitution

ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Digraph

WA

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); election last held 7-8 December 1994 (next to be held NA); results - Sam NUJOMA elected president by popular vote cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 986-0443

FAX

[264] (61) 229792

Flag

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

Independence

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia

National Assembly

elections last held 7-8 December 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) SWAPO 53, DTA 15, UDF 2, MAG 1, DCN 1

National Council

elections last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (26 total) SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Political parties and leaders

South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam NUJOMA; DTA of Namibia (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance) (DTA), Mishake MUYONGO; United Democratic Front (UDF), Justus GAROEB; Federal Convention of Namibia (FCN), Kephics CONRUDIE; Monitor Action Group (MAG), Kosie PRETORIUS; Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP); Southwest African National Union (SWANU), Hitjevi VEII; Democratic Coalition of Namibia (DCN), Moses KATJIUONGA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Marshall F. McCALLIE embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (female 384,885; male 394,216) 15-64 years: 50% (female 414,283; male 405,938) 65 years and over: 3% (female 26,783; male 25,440) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

43.04 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

8.61 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include (with approximate share of total population): Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Infant mortality rate

59.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

500,000 by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government 7%, mining 6% (1981 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: 62.1 years male: 59.37 years female: 64.9 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1960) total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31%

Nationality

noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

1,651,545 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

3.44% (1995 est.)

Religions

80%-90% Christian (50% Lutheran; at least 30% other Christian denominations)

Total fertility rate

6.34 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports

total: 135 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 20 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 23 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 70

Highways

total: 54,500 km paved: 4,080 km unpaved: gravel 2,540 km; earth 47,880 km (roads and tracks)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Railroads

total: 2,341 km (single track) narrow gauge: 2,341 km 1.067-m gauge