Located at the Northwest border (over 855 km) of the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Namibia expands over a total area of: 825,418 sq. km.

It is bordered on the North by the Republic of Angola (1,376 km); at the extreme Northeast by the Republic of Zambia (233 km); at the East by the Republic of Botswana (1,360 km).

It has a coastline of 1,572 km. The climate is influenced by the Namib Desert along the coastline and the Kalahari Desert in the Eastern region: hot, dry; rainfall are sparse and erratic which results in prolonged periods of drought. There is very limited natural fresh water resources.

Population: 1,648,270 (July 1999); 1,927,447 (July 2003 est.); with a growth rate of 1.57% (1999); 1.49% (2003 est.)

Independence from the South African (United Nations granted controlling mandate): March 21, 1990
National holiday: March 21

The country is endowed with huge natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; offshore oil fields recently discovered, natural gas; coal, iron ore.

Before the independence, the powerful mineral exploitation companies of South Africa extensively invested in Namibia's mining industry. Consequently, Namibia's economy nowadays has close links to South Africa. (87% of imports from and 24% of exports to South Africa).

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GNP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten.

Namibia imports food as agriculture is not well developed due to the scarcity of arable land and the desert climate. Nevertheless, half of the population depends on agriculture, which produces only subsistence products for local consumption: millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish.

Further, there is a problem of land distribution as the white farmers own 75% of arable land and are reluctant to give back some to black farmers under the land reform programme launched in 1995 to redress the imbalance. President Sam Nujoma singled out the problem in a speech at a May Day 2004 rally. He declared: "Some of the whites are behaving as if they came from Holland or Germany. We can drive them out of this land." The Namibian government on May 10, 2004 sent letters to ten farm owners telling them to make an offer to sell their property to the state. Click here for more

However on May 20, 2004 Theo-Ben Gurirab, the Namibian prime minister, denied that his country is facing a land distribution situation similar to that of Zimbabwe.

On May 30, 2004 Land Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba won a ballot of party members held in the capital, Windhoek. Mr Pohamba, President Nujoma's favoured successor, will represent Swapo in a presidential election due in November. Click here for more.

In presidential the elections held on November 15-16, 2004, with more than 50% of ballots returned, on November 19, 2004, election officials said that Hifikepunye Pohamba won 75.4% of the votes with opposition leader Ben Ulenga of the Congress of Democrats (CoD) party trailing far behind with 6.9% of the vote.

Three other opposition leaders garnered between 6.2% and 4.2% of the vote.

There are plenty of business opportunities for international investors in food industry and the industrial sector in general (meat packing, fish processing, dairy products; mining - diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper).

The growth rate of the industrial sector is in average 10 % since the independence (the highest for an African country) and the recent discovery of oil deposits will help sustaining that two digits industrial growth rate over years to come.

Fisheries are one of the main contributors to economic growth in Namibia. The fisheries contribution to GNP has grown from 5% in 1991 to 13% in 2003.

Click here for news and events on sub-Saharan Africa.
Click here for news and events on Southern Africa

TOP

GNP: US$ 7.6 billion (2000); 7.9 billion (2001); 8.22 billion (2002); 8.40 billion (2003)
GNP-real growth rate: 4% (2000); 4% (2001); 2.3% (2002); 4% (2003)
GNP-per capita: US$ 4,023 (2000); 4,326 (2002); 4,362 (2003)

Click here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power

GNP-composition by sector

1. agriculture: 11%
   

2. industry: 28%
   
3. services: 61%

Exports: US$ 1.44 billion (f.o.b.,2000); 1.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins.
Exports - partners: EU, US, SADC

Imports: US$ 1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000); 1.38 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals.
Imports - partners: US, EU, SADC

The high level of purchasing power above mentioned is not a realistic reflection of the purchasing power of the majority of the populations. Itis the result of the predominance of the mining industrial sector. The dividends resulting from the exploitation of that booming sector is not equally distributed amongst the majority of the population.

FOR CURRENCY EQUIVALENCE CLICK HERE

TOP

A valid passport beyond at least six months of visitor sojourn in Namibia and a visa are necessary for citizens of some countries. It is advised to consult the nearest Namibian representative office / embassy for more about health policy with regards entry to Namibia. Here are listed some contacts around the world:

Ministry of Tourism Government Offices, Robert Mugabe Avenue - Private Bag 13346 Windhoek Tel: +(264) 61-284-91-11 Fax: +(264) 61-229-936 tourism@iwwn.com.na	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Embassy of Namibia 1605 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. Washington DC 20009 Tel: +(1) 202 986-05-40 Fax: +(1) 202 986-04-43
BELGIUM Embassy of Namibia 454, Avenue de Tervuren 1150 Brussels Tel: +(32) 2 771-14-10 Fax: +(32) 2 771-96-89	RUSSIAN FEDERATION Embassy of Namibia 2nd Kazachy Lane, House N° 7 Moscow Tel: +(7095) 230-01-13 Fax: +(7095) 230-22-74
SWEDEN Embassy of Namibia Luntmakargatan 86-88 Stockholm 111,22 Tel: +(46) 8 612-77-88 Fax:+(46) 8 612-66-55	ETHIOPIA Embassy of Namibia Higher 17, Kebel 19, House N° 002 Addis Ababa Tel: +(251) 1 611-966 Fax: +(251) 1 612-677

The country is covered by a great number of airfields: 135 to date of which 22 are paved, equipped and serviced to international standards. Below contacts numbers to the national carrier: AIR NAMIBIA and others.

AIR NAMIBIA Windhoek: +(264) 61-298-25-52 London: +(44) 181- 944-61-81 Paris: +(33) 1-42-97-55-88 Frankfurt: +(49)-6172-40660 Johannesburg: +(27) 11-44 -24- 461 Nairobi: +(254) 2-331-648 Sydney: +(61) 295-94922 Rome: +(39) 6-596-02148

LUFTHANSA Windhoek: +(264) 61-226-662 LTU Windhoek: +(264) 61-237-480 SOUTH AFRICA AIRWAYS Windhoek: +(264) 61-237-670  TOP