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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 137 usable: 112 with permanent-surface runways: 21 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 62

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

54,500 km; 4,079 km paved, 2,540 km gravel, 47,881 km earth roads and tracks

Ports [time series]

Luderitz; primary maritime outlet is Walvis Bay (South Africa)

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

good urban, fair rural services; radio relay connects major towns, wires extend to other population centers; 62,800 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

National Defense Force (Army), Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $66 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY92)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 324,599; fit for military service 192,381 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 15% of GDP; 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, 1988 catch reaching only 384,000 metric tons; not self-sufficient in food

Budget [time series]

revenues $864 million; expenditures $1,112 million, including capital expenditures of $144 million (FY 92)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $47.2 million

Electricity [time series]

490,000 kW capacity; 1,290 million kWh produced, 850 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

South African rand (R) per US$1 - 3.1576 (May 1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7653 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$1.184 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, processed fish, karakul skins partners: Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Japan

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

about $220 million (1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$1.238 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment partners: South Africa, Germany, US, Switzerland

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 4.9% (1991); accounts for 35% of GDP, including mining

Industries [time series]

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc, diamond, uranium)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10% (1992) in urban area

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,300 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 25% of GDP. 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. More than half the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood.

Unemployment rate [time series]

25-35% (1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 824,290 km2 land area: 823,290 km2 comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate [time series]

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline [time series]

1,489 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

inhospitable with very limited natural water resources; desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; disputed island with Botswana in the Chobe River; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; claim by Namibia to Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands administered by South Africa; Namibia and South Africa have agreed to jointly administer the area for an interim period; the terms and dates to be covered by joint administration arrangements have not been established at this time, and Namibia will continue to maintain a claim to sovereignty over the entire area; recent dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in the Linyanti River

Irrigated land [time series]

40 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 3,935 km, Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 966 km, Zambia 233 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 64% forest and woodland: 22% other: 13%

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore

Note [time series]

Walvis Bay area is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia

Terrain [time series]

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

13 districts; Erango, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Liambezi, Ohanguena, Okarango, Omaheke, Omusat, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa note: the 26 districts were 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

Capital [time series]

Windhoek

Constitution [time series]

ratified 9 February 1990

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (mailing address is PO Box 34738, Washington, DC 20043) telephone: (202) 986-0540

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 16 February 1990 (next to be held March 1995); results - Sam NUJOMA was elected president by the Constituent Assembly (now the National Assembly) National Assembly: last held on 7-11 November 1989 (next to be held by November 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4, ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF 1 National Council: last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998); seats - (26 total) SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1

Executive branch [time series]

president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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 that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Independence [time series]

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990)

Legal system [time series]

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature consists of an upper house or National Council and a lower house or National Assembly

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, C, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam NUJOMA; DTA of Namibia (DTA; formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia), 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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Marshall MCCAULEY embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek mailing address: P. O. Box 9890, Windhoek 9000 telephone: [264] (61) 221-601, 222-675, 222-680 FAX: [264] (61) 229-792

People

Birth rate [time series]

43.77 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.13 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe

Infant mortality rate [time series]

63.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

500,000 by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government 7%, mining 6% (1981 est.)

Languages [time series]

English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 61.2 years male: 58.57 years female: 63.91 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1960) total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

1,541,321 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.46% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.46 children born/woman (1993 est.)