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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 136 usable: 109 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: 64

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 54,500 km paved: 4,080 km unpaved: gravel 2,540 km; earth 47,880 km (roads and tracks)

Ports [time series]

Luderitz; Walvis Bay

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 15-49 336,145; fit for military service 199,337

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: $941 million expenditures: $1.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $157 million (FY93/94)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 490,000 kW production: 1.29 billion kWh consumption per capita: 850 kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

South African rand (R) per US$1 - 3.4096 (January 1994), 3.2678 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7653 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$1.289 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) 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]

$1.178 billion (f.o.b., 1992) 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]

17.9% (1992) in urban area

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.85 billion (1993 est.)

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

$2,500 (1993 est.)

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

3.5% (1992)

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]

30% (1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 825,418 sq km land area: 825,418 sq km comparative area: slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate [time series]

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline [time series]

1,572 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: very limited natural water resources; desertification natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with South Africa over Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands has been resolved and these territories were transferred to Namibian sovereignty on 1 March 1994

Irrigated land [time series]

40 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 3,824 km, Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 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

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

Capital [time series]

Windhoek

Constitution [time series]

ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 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 Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 986-0540

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); election 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) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly

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

(202) 986-0443

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

[264] (61) 229-792

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

Legal system [time series]

based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, 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

Legislative branch (National Assembly) [time series]

elections 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

Legislative branch (National Council) [time series]

elections last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998); seats - (26 total) SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1

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 (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance) (DTA), Mishake MUYONGO; 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: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard F. JETER embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek mailing address: P. O. Box 9890, Windhoek 9000 telephone: [264] (61) 221-601, 222-675, 222-680

People

Birth rate [time series]

43.4 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.87 deaths/1,000 population (1994 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]

61.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 61.65 years male: 58.97 years female: 64.4 years (1994 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 (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

1,595,567 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.45% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.4 children born/woman (1994 est.)