Country:  Namibia
- Geography
Total area: 824,290 km2; land area: 823,290 km2
 
Comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Alaska
 
Land boundaries: 3,935 km total; Angola 1,376 km, Botswana
1,360 km, South Africa 966 km, Zambia 233 km
 
Coastline: 1,489 km
 
Maritime claims:
 
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
 
Territorial sea: 6 nm
 
Disputes: short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite;
quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement;
possible future claim to South Africa's Walvis Bay
 
Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
 
Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert
in east
 
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin,
zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of coal
and iron ore
 
Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 64% meadows and
pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
 
Environment: inhospitable with very limited natural water resources;
desertification
 
Note: Walvis Bay area is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia
 
- People
Population: 1,452,951 (July 1990), growth rate 5.6% (1990)
 
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1990)
 
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
 
Net migration rate: 20 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
 
Infant mortality rate: 71 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
 
Life expectancy at birth: 57 years male, 63 years female (1990)
 
Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born/woman (1990)
 
Nationality: noun--Namibian(s); adjective--Namibian
 
Ethnic divisions: 86% black, 6.5% white, 7.5% mixed; about 50%
of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% from the Kavangos
tribe
 
Religion: predominantly Christian
 
Language: Afrikaans principal language of about 60% of white population,
German of 33%, and English of 7% (all official); several indigenous languages
 
Literacy: 100% whites, 16% nonwhites
 
Labor force: 500,000; 60% agriculture, 19% industry and commerce,
8% services, 7% government, 6% mining (1981 est.)
 
Organized labor: 15 trade unions--largest is the mineworkers'
union which has a sizable black membership
 
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Namibia
 
Type: republic as of 21 March 1990
 
Capital: Windhoek
 
Administrative divisions: 26 districts; Bethanien, Boesmanland,
Caprivi Oos, Damaraland, Gobabis, Grootfontein, Hereroland Oos,
Hereroland Wes, Kaokoland, Karasburg, Karibib, Kavango, Keetmanshoop,
Luderitz, Maltahohe, Mariental, Namaland, Okahandja, Omaruru,
Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Owambo, Rehoboth, Swakopmund, Tsumeb, Windhoek
 
Independence: 21 March 1990
 
Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990
 
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law
 
National holiday: Settlers' Day, 10 December
 
Executive branch: president, Cabinet, Constitutional Council
 
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly
 
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
 
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government President Sam NUJOMA
(since 21 March 1990)
 
Political parties and leaders: South-West Africa People's
Organization (SWAPO), Sam Nujoma;
Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), Dirk Mudge;
United Democratic Front (UDF), Justus Garoeb;
Action Christian National (ACN), Kosie Pretorius;
National Patriotic Front (NPF), Moses Katjiuongua;
Federal Convention of Namibia (FCN), Hans Diergaardt;
Namibia National Front (NNF), Vekuii Rukoro
 
Suffrage: universal at age 18
 
Elections:
National Assembly--last held on 7-11 November 1989
(next to be held NA);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4, ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF 1
 
Communists: no Communist party
 
Other political or pressure groups: NA
 
Member of: FAO, IAEA, ILO, UNESCO, WHO
 
Diplomatic representation: NA
 
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 which is
contrasted by two narrow white edge borders
 
- Economy
Overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry
to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 35%
of GDP, agriculture and fisheries 10-15%, and manufacturing about 5%.
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, and it has substantial resources of coal.
 
GNP: $1.54 billion, per capita $1,245; real growth rate 2.9%
(1987)
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.1% (1989)
 
Unemployment rate: over 30% (1988)
 
Budget: revenues $781 million; expenditures $932 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)
 
Exports: $935 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--diamonds,
uranium, zinc, copper, meat, processed fish, karakul skins;
partners--South Africa
 
Imports: $856 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--foodstuffs,
manufactured consumer goods, machinery and equipment;
partners--South Africa, FRG, UK, US
 
External debt: about $27 million at independence; under a 1971
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Namibia may not be
liable for debt incurred during its colonial period
 
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
 
Electricity: 486,000 kW capacity; 1,280 million kWh produced,
930 kWh per capita (1989)
 
Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper,
lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)
 
Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing); mostly
subsistence farming; livestock raising major source of cash income;
crops--millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch potential of over 1 million
metric tons not being fulfilled, 1987 catch reaching only 520,000 metric
tons; not self-sufficient in food
 
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $47.2 million
 
Currency: South African rand (plural--rand);
1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents
 
Exchange rates: South African rand (R) per US$1--2.5555 (January 1990),
2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)
 
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
 
- Communications
Railroads: 2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track
 
Highways: 54,500 km; 4,079 km paved, 2,540 km gravel, 47,881 km earth
roads and tracks
 
Ports: Luderitz; primary maritime outlet is Walvis Bay (South Africa)
 
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
 
Airports: 143 total, 123 usable; 21 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 63 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
 
Telecommunications: good urban, fair rural services; radio relay connects
major towns, wires extend to other population centers; 62,800 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV
 
- Defense Forces
Branches: NA
 
Military manpower: males 15-49, 298,249; 176,660 fit for military service
 
Defense expenditures: 4.9% of GNP (1986)
 
Note: the South-West Africa Territorial Force, established in
1980, was demobilized in June 1989; a new national defense force will
probably be formed by the new government