Namibia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Republic of Namibia Name in national languages Afrikaans: Republiek van Namibië German: Republik Namibia Khoekhoegowab: Republiki Namibiab dib Oshiwambo: Orepublika yaNamibia Otjiherero: Orepublika yaNamibia RuKwangali: Republika zaNamibia Setswana: Rephaboliki ya Namibia siLozi: Namibia ye Lukuluhile
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unity, Liberty, Justice"
Anthem: "Namibia, Land of the Brave"
Show globe Show map of Africa
Capital and largest city	Windhoek 22°34′S 17°5′E / 22.567°S 17.083°E / -22.567; 17.083
Official languages	English
Recognised national languages	Afrikaans German Khoekhoegowab Oshiwambo Otjiherero RuKwangali Setswana siLozi
Recognised regional languages	ǃKung Gciriku Thimbukushu
Ethnic groups (2023)	93.2% African 3.6% Coloured 1.8% White 1.4% other
Religion (2023)	87.9% Christianity 43.7% Lutheranism 22.8% Catholicism 17.0% Anglicanism 4.4% other Christian 10.2% traditional faiths 1.6% no religion 0.3% other
Demonym(s)	Namibian
Government	Unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic
• President	Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
• Vice President	Lucia Witbooi
• Prime Minister	Elijah Ngurare
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	National Council
• Lower house	National Assembly
Independence from South Africa
• Constitution	9 February 1990
• Independence	21 March 1990
Area
• Total	825,615 km2 (318,772 sq mi) (34th)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2025 census	3,092,816 (138th)
• Density	3.7/km2 (9.6/sq mi) (235th)
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$30.663 billion
• Per capita	$11,603 (114th)
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$12.647 billion
• Per capita	$4,786
Gini (2015)	59.1 high
HDI (2022)	0.610 medium · 142nd
Currency	Namibian dollar (NAD) South African rand (ZAR)
Time zone	UTC+2 (CAT)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+264
ISO 3166 code	NA
Internet TLD	.na

Signs in Namibia showing the languages still used by many people

The Republic of Namibia is a country in Southern Africa. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast. Namibia shares borders with Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to the north. To the east, it borders Botswana, and to the south, South Africa. Namibia became independent from South Africa in 1990. Before that, it was known as South West Africa. Its capital city is Windhoek.

Before World War I, Namibia was a German colony. Today, German is still spoken by many people. However, English is the official language of the country. Namibia has a population of about 3 million people. The country's name comes from the Namib Desert, which is thought to be the oldest desert in the world.

Namibia's Past: A Brief History

The dry lands of Namibia have been home to people for a very long time. Early groups like the Khoisan, Damara, and Nama lived here. Around the 14th century, Bantu groups arrived from central Africa. Later, in the late 1700s, Orlam clans from the Cape Colony moved into southern Namibia.

The Nama tribes were mostly peaceful. They welcomed missionaries and shared their water and grazing lands. However, as the Orlams moved north, they met the Herero tribe. The Herero were not as friendly, leading to the Nama-Herero War in 1880. This conflict only ended when Germany sent troops.

The first Europeans to explore the coast were Portuguese sailors in the late 1400s. But like much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Europeans did not explore Namibia much until the 1800s. At that time, traders and settlers, mainly from Germany and Sweden, started to arrive.

German Control and Conflict

Namibia became a German colony in 1884. It was called German South-West Africa. This was done to prevent the British from taking control. From 1904 to 1907, the Herero and Namaqua people fought against the Germans. During this time, many Herero and Nama people were killed.

South African Rule and Independence

South Africa took control of Namibia in 1915 during World War I. After the war, the League of Nations allowed South Africa to govern the territory. When the League was replaced by the United Nations in 1946, South Africa refused to give up its rule. Many people believed Namibia should be independent. In 1971, the United Nations declared South Africa's control illegal, but they still did not leave.

Namibia finally became an independent country on March 21, 1990. Sam Nujoma became the first President.

Namibia's Unique Geography

Sand dunes in the Namib, Namibia

Shaded relief map of Namibia

Namibia is a large country, covering about 825,615 square kilometers (318,696 square miles). This makes it the world's 34th largest country. It is located between the Namib and Kalahari deserts. Because of this, Namibia gets the least rainfall of any country in sub-Saharan Africa.

Namibia's landscape has five main areas. Each area has its own special conditions and plant life. These areas are the Central Plateau, the Namib, the Great Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert.

• The Central Plateau runs from north to south. It has Namibia's highest point, Königstein, which is 2,606 meters (8,550 feet) high.
• The Namib is a huge area of dry plains and sand dunes. It stretches along the entire coastline. Its width can be from 100 to several hundred kilometers.
• The Great Escarpment rises quickly to over 2,000 meters (6,562 feet). It is rockier but gets more rain than the Namib Desert.
• The Bushveld is in northeastern Namibia, near the Angolan border. This area gets much more rain than the rest of the country.
• The Kalahari Desert is a well-known dry region that also extends into South Africa and Botswana. Even though it's called a desert, some parts are green and not technically desert. The Succulent Karoo area is home to over 5,000 types of plants. Many of these plants are found nowhere else.

Fish River Canyon

Namibia's Coastal Desert is one of the oldest deserts in the world. Its sand dunes are the tallest in the world. They are formed by strong winds from the ocean. Because cold ocean water meets Africa's hot climate, very thick fog often forms along the coast. Namibia also has rich coastal and ocean resources that are still being explored.

Namibia's Climate

Namibia is primarily a large desert and semi-desert plateau.

Namibia's climate is mostly dry. It ranges from semi-arid to hyper-arid along the coast. The country gets more than 300 days of sunshine each year.

The Efundja is an annual flood in the northern parts of the country. It often causes damage and can be dangerous. These floods happen when rains in Angola flow into Namibia's Cuvelai basin. The worst floods on record happened in March 2011, forcing 21,000 people to leave their homes.

Water in Namibia

Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa. It relies a lot on water found underground. The average rainfall is about 350 millimeters (14 inches) per year. The most rain falls in the Caprivi Strip in the northeast. It gets as little as 50 millimeters (2 inches) near the coast.

The only rivers that flow all year round are on Namibia's borders. These include borders with South Africa, Angola, Zambia, and Botswana. In the country's interior, surface water is only available in summer. This is when rivers flood after heavy rains. Otherwise, water is stored in large dams that collect these seasonal floods.

Many communities depend on groundwater. Even places far from rivers, like mines, farms, and tourist spots, get their water from underground. Over 100,000 boreholes have been drilled in Namibia over the last century.

Protecting Wildlife

Quivertree Forest, Bushveld

Namibia is one of the few countries that has special rules in its constitution. These rules are about protecting and saving its natural resources and wildlife.

How Namibia is Governed

Tintenpalast, the centre of Namibia's government

Namibia is a republic with a semi-presidential system. This means the President of Namibia is both the head of state and the head of government. The President is elected for a five-year term. All government members are responsible to the country's parliament.

Namibia's government has three main parts:

• Executive: The President and the Government hold the power to carry out laws.
• Legislature: Namibia has a two-house Parliament. The National Assembly is the lower house, and the National Council is the upper house.
• Judiciary: This is the system of courts that explains and applies the laws.

Regions and Cities

Population density in Namibia by regions (census 2011)

Namibia is divided into 14 regions. These regions are then split into 121 smaller areas called constituencies. The most developed regions are Khomas and Erongo. Khomas is home to the capital, Windhoek. Erongo has important coastal cities like Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.

People in each constituency directly elect their regional leaders. Local areas also have their own governments. These can be municipalities, town councils, or villages.

Major Cities in Namibia

Walvis Bay

Swakopmund

• Windhoek (the capital)
• Walvis Bay
• Swakopmund
• Gobabis
• Grootfontein
• Henties Bay
• Karasburg
• Karibib
• Keetmanshoop
• Mariental
• Okahandja
• Omaruru
• Otjiwarongo
• Outjo
• Tsumeb
• Usakos

Namibia's Economy

Namibia GDP per capita, 2000–2022

Downtown Windhoek

Namibia's economy is closely linked to South Africa's. This is because of their shared history. In 2023, the biggest parts of the economy were mining, public administration, and manufacturing.

Namibia has a modern banking and financial system. It includes online banking and cellphone banking.

The country's unemployment rate was 33.4% in 2018. Youth unemployment was 38.4% in 2023. This is one of the highest rates in the world.

The cost of living in Namibia is a bit higher than average. This is because most goods, like cereals, have to be imported.

The B2 between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Namibia

Even though much of Namibia is remote, it has good transportation. This includes seaports, airports, highways, and railways. It is an important hub for trade with nearby countries that do not have a coastline.

Farming and Food

About half of Namibia's people depend on farming for their living. Most of this is subsistence agriculture, where people grow food mainly for themselves. However, Namibia still needs to import some of its food.

About 4,000 large commercial farms own almost half of Namibia's farmland. The country is working on land reform to help landless black Namibians.

One of the fastest growing parts of Namibia's economy is the growth of wildlife conservancies. These are areas managed by local communities for conservation.

Mining and Power

Mining is very important to Namibia's economy. It provides 25% of the country's income. Namibia is the fourth largest exporter of non-fuel minerals in Africa. It was also the world's fourth largest producer of uranium.

Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a main source for high-quality diamonds. Besides diamonds and uranium, Namibia also mines lead, tungsten, gold, tin, copper, and zinc. There are also gas deposits offshore that might be used in the future.

In 2022, new estimates suggested that two offshore oil wells could hold billions of barrels of oil. The money from this could greatly help Namibia's economy.

Namibia's electricity comes mainly from power plants that use heat and water. The government has also considered building a nuclear power station.

Tourism in Namibia

An example of Namibian wildlife, the plains zebra, is one focus of tourism.

Tourism is a big part of Namibia's economy. It brings in 14.5% of the country's GDP. It also creates tens of thousands of jobs. Over a million tourists visit Namibia each year. The country is known for ecotourism, which focuses on enjoying Namibia's amazing wildlife.

There are many lodges and reserves for ecotourists. Trophy hunting is also a growing part of the economy. Namibia has many species that international hunters seek.

Extreme sports like sandboarding, skydiving, and 4x4ing are also popular. Many cities offer tours for these activities. Popular places to visit include Windhoek, Caprivi Strip, Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei, and the Skeleton Coast Park. Coastal towns like Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are also popular.

Windhoek is important for tourism because of its central location. It is also close to Hosea Kutako International Airport. Many tourism offices and hotels are in Windhoek.

The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) helps manage the tourism industry. It also promotes Namibia as a great place to visit.

Water Supply and Sanitation

NamWater is the main supplier of water in Namibia. It sells water to cities, which then deliver it to homes. In rural areas, the government helps provide drinking water.

The UN said in 2011 that Namibia has greatly improved its water access since 1990. However, many people still cannot use these resources. This is because water can be expensive, or water points are far away in rural areas.

Compared to water access, Namibia is still working on providing enough sanitation. This includes many schools that do not have toilets. A large number of child deaths are linked to a lack of water, sanitation, or hygiene.

Namibia's Population

Namibia has the second-lowest population density of any independent country. Only Mongolia has fewer people per square kilometer. In 2017, there were about 3.08 people per square kilometer. In 2023, Namibia had about 3 million people.

Ethnic Groups in Namibia

The people of Namibia belong to different ethnic groups. These include Bantu groups like the Herero, Kavango, Lozi, Ovambo, and Tswana. There are also Khoisan groups such as the Baster/Coloured, Damara, Nama, and San.

There is also a notable Chinese minority in Namibia. White people make up 1.8% of the population. They are mainly of Afrikaner, German, British, and Portuguese backgrounds.

Languages Spoken in Namibia

Most Namibians can speak and understand English and Afrikaans. Before 1990, English, German, and Afrikaans were all official languages.

According to a 2016 survey, Oshiwambo is the most common language. It is spoken in 49.7% of homes. KhoeKhoegowab is next at 11.0%, followed by Kavango Languages at 10.4%. Afrikaans is often used as a common language across the country, spoken in 9.4% of homes.

The Herero Languages are spoken in 9.2% of homes. Silozi is at 4.9%. English, mainly used as a second language, is spoken in 2.3% of homes. Other languages include San Languages (0.7%) and German (0.6%).

Most white Namibians speak English, Afrikaans, or German. German is still used in business, even though the German colonial era ended over a century ago. Afrikaans is the home language for 60% of the white community. German is spoken by 32%, English by 7%, and Portuguese by 4–5%. Many people speak Portuguese because of Namibia's closeness to Angola, where Portuguese is spoken.

Namibian Culture

Namibian culture is similar to South African culture. This is because of their shared history and family ties. Few Namibians want to live permanently in other countries. They feel safe in their homeland and have a strong national identity. Namibians are generally very social people.

Afrikaner children in Namibia

Sports in Namibia

The most popular sport in Namibia is association football. The Namibia national football team has played in the Africa Cup of Nations several times. However, they have not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Famous players include Ryan Nyambe and Peter Shalulile.

The most successful national team is the Namibian rugby team. They have played in the last seven World Cups. Cricket is also popular. The national team has qualified for the Cricket World Cup and ICC T20 World Cup events.

The most famous athlete from Namibia is Frankie Fredericks. He is a sprinter who won four Olympic silver medals. He also won medals at several World Athletics Championships. Other notable athletes include golfer Trevor Dodds, cyclist Dan Craven, and boxer Julius Indongo. Former rugby player Jacques Burger also played for top clubs in Europe.

Art in Namibia

In 2022, Namibia took part in the Venice Biennale for the first time. This is a very important art exhibition. Namibia's exhibition was called "A Bridge to the Desert". It showed the "Lone Stone Men" project by artist Renn (Namibian artist).

Related pages

• List of rivers of Namibia
• Namibia at the Olympics
• Namibia national football team

Images for kids

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  German church and monument to colonists in Windhoek, Namibia.

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  Map depicting the Police Zone (in tan) and tribal homelands (in red) as they existed in 1978. Self-governing tribal homelands appear as tan with red stripes.

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  Foreign Observer identification badge issued during the 1989 Namibian election

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  South African troops patrol the border region for PLAN insurgents, 1980s.

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  Lutheran church in Swakopmund

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  The Namibia rugby team

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  Secondary school students

See also

In Spanish: Namibia para niños