Namibia in short

If Southern Africa were to be thought the crown of the African Continent, the Namibia can be thought one of the many jewels of that crown.

From the dry arid Kalahari region in the eastern and western region through the great Namib Desert of central region to the green open plains of the northern region, Namibia is as diverse in ecological terms as the people that inhabit the country.

The History of the Country is just as interesting, from the first inhabitants, to the German Occupation of the Country and its subsequent transfer to South African rule to and then independence in 1994.

Imagine visiting the dunes of Soussus Vlei, said to be some of the highest in the world with many over 250m high, or visiting the ghost town of Kolmanskop near Luderitz, a history lesson and experience unto itself.

As no words can ever describe the beauty and majesty of this country, the best way to get to know its secrets would be to visit and experience it for oneself.

Location
• Situated in Southern Africa, Namibia is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, Angola, and Zambia in the north, Botswana on the east and South Africa in the south.

Area
• 824,268 km²

Cities
• Capital: Windhoek
• Other major towns: Keetmanshoop, Oranjemund, Lüderitz, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Mariental, Ondangwa, Oshakati, Gobabis, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, and Grootfontein.

Terrain
• Semiarid mountains and high plateau, coastal Namib Desert, Kalahari Desert in the east.

Climate
• Desert, semi-desert, hot and dry with sparse and erratic rainfall.

Elevation Extremes
• Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0m.
• Highest point: Königstein 2,606m.

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.

Natural Hazards
• Prolonged periods of drought and sporadic floods

Population
• 2.1 million (according Population Census)

Ethnic Groups
• 13 ethnic cultures.
• Black: 87.5%
• Approximately 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe, 9% to the Kavango tribe, 7% to the Herero tribe and 7% to the Damara tribe. Other ethnic groups are: Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%.
• White: 6%

Languages
• 16 languages and dialects.
• English is the official language of Namibia (7%). Afrikaans, derived from Dutch , is the common language of most of the population and spoken by approximately 60% of the white population, as also German (32%) and English (8%). Various indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Otjiherero, Khoegowab, Silozi, Setswana) are also spoken.

Flora
• 14 vegetation zones.
• 120 species of trees.
• 200 endemic plant species.
• 100 species of lichen.
• Living fossil plant: Welwitschia Mirabilis.

Fauna
• Big Game: Elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, antelope.
• 20 species of antelope
• 240 species of mammals (14 endemic)
• 250 species of reptiles.
• 50 species of frogs.
• ± 630 species of birds.
• Endemic birds: Herero chat, Rockrunner, Damara tern, African fish eagle, Monteiro's hornbill.

Note
• Nature reserves constitute 15% of the surface area (105,559km²)
• Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate the protection of its environment into its Constitution. Approximately 15% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip.

Currency
• The Namibian Dollar (NAD), linked to the South African Rand (ZAR)

Roads
• Total: 64,880km
• Tarred: 5,450km
• Gravel Roads: 59,430km