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Namibia

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Namibia is located in southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa. Germany took control of the area that it called South West Africa in the late 1800s. South African troops ousted the Germans from the area during World War I, and the League of Nations mandated the area to South Africa. Following World War II, the United Nations requested that the territory become a trusteeship, but South Africa refused to cooperate. In 1966 a Namibian nationalist group, South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), 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 United Nations peace plan for the entire region. Namibia finally gained independence in 1990. Namibia is a sparsely populated, mostly desert country, and its economy is highly dependent on the minerals sector. The country has enjoyed macroeconomic stability since independence due to the implementation of market-oriented reforms.

 

 
Country Forecast
Major Cities
City Population Estimated
Windhoek 306,093 2009
Rundu 76,251 2009
Walvis Bay 63,952 2009
Key Data
Region : Africa
Population : 2,174,144
Area Total : 825,418 km2
Area Land : 825,418 km2
Coast Line : 1,572 km
Capital : Windhoek
Climate : Desert, hot, dry; rainfall sparce and erratic
Languages : English
Afrikaans
German
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
Currency : 1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents
Holiday : Independence Day is 21 March (1990), Casinga Day is 4 May, Human Rights Day is 10 December
Average Daily TemperatureBoundaries
January : 23.30°C / 73.90°F
July : 13.20°C / 55.80°F
Annual Rainfall : 365.1mm / 14.4"
   
 
Angola 1376km
Botswana 1360km
South Africa 855km
Zambia 233km
Ethnic DivisionsReligions
Ovambo 50%
Kavango 9%
Mixed 7%
Herero 7%
Damara 7%
European 6%
Nama 5%
Caprivian 4%
Bushmen 3%
Baster 2%
 
Christian 80%
Native Religions 20%

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