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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

1 private and 1 state-run TV station; satellite and cable TV service available; state-run radio service broadcasts in multiple languages; about a dozen private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.na

Internet users [time series]

total: 325,400 | percent of population: 14.8% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: good system; core fiber-optic network links most centers with digital connections | domestic: multiple mobile-cellular providers with a combined subscribership of more than 100 telephones per 100 persons | international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 180,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 2.7 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (2007)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $5.021 billion | expenditures: $5.659 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-4.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Central bank discount rate [time series]

6% (31 December 2014) | 5.5% (31 December 2013) | country comparison to the world: 65

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

9% (31 December 2014 est.) | 8.29% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Current account balance [time series]

-$883 million (2014 est.) | -$782.5 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Debt - external [time series]

$6.021 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $4.845 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

59.7 (2010) | 70.7 (2003) | country comparison to the world: 6

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 11.5% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is becoming increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. Namibia is the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. It also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. The mining and quarrying sectors employ less than 2% of the population. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. A five-year, Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country, Namibia is ineligible for a second Compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment complicates budget planning. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations, and drought. The rising cost of mining diamonds, increasingly from the sea, has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities recognize these issues and have emphasized the need to increase higher value raw materials, manufacturing, and services, especially in the logistics and transportation sectors.

Exchange rates [time series]

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - | 9.6502 (2014 est.) | 8.2099 (2013 est.) | 8.2 (2012 est.) | 7.2597 (2011 est.) | 7.3212 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$4.963 billion (2014 est.) | $4.62 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Exports - commodities [time series]

diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, white fish and mollusks

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$13.35 billion (2014 est.)

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

$23.82 billion (2014 est.) | $22.79 billion (2013 est.) | $21.3 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 137

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 6.2% | industry: 30% | services: 63.7% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$10,800 (2014 est.) | $10,200 (2013 est.) | $9,700 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 128

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.3% (2014 est.) | 5.1% (2013 est.) | 5.2% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Gross national saving [time series]

23.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | 20.4% of GDP (2013 est.) | 21% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.4% | highest 10%: 42% (2010)

Imports [time series]

$7.657 billion (2014 est.) | $6.624 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Industries [time series]

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, pasta, beverages; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.3% (2014 est.) | 5.6% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Labor force [time series]

991,000 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 16.3% | industry: 22.4% | services: 61.3% | note: about half of Namibia's people are unemployed while about two-thirds live in rural areas; roughly two-thirds of rural dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$1.305 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $1.152 billion (31 December 2011) | $1.176 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Population below poverty line [time series]

28.7% (2010 est.)

Public debt [time series]

22.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | 23.6% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.651 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.503 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Stock of broad money [time series]

$7.496 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $6.574 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$NA

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$6.57 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $5.993 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$3.867 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

38.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Unemployment rate [time series]

28.1% (2014 est.) | 29.6% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

3.716 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - consumption [time series]

4.238 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - exports [time series]

89 million kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

31.8% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

68.2% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - imports [time series]

2.907 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

1.087 million kW (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity - production [time series]

1.331 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

26,810 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

20,810 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 824,292 sq km | land: 823,290 sq km | water: 1,002 sq km | country comparison to the world: 34

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate [time series]

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline [time series]

1,572 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m | highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited natural freshwater resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (25%/5%/70%) | per capita: 146 cu m/yr (2002)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Irrigated land [time series]

75.73 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 4,220 km | border countries (4): Angola 1,427 km, Botswana 1,544 km, South Africa 1,005 km, Zambia 244 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 47.2% | arable land 1%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 46.2% | forest: 8.8% | other: 44% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

prolonged periods of drought

Natural resources [time series]

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish | note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Terrain [time series]

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

17.72 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language

Capital [time series]

name: Windhoek | geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Constitution [time series]

drafted 9 February 1990, signed 16 March 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990; amended 1998, 2010 (2010)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Namibia | conventional short form: Namibia | local long form: Republic of Namibia | local short form: Namibia | former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch Suedwest Afrika), South-West Africa

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas Frederick DAUGHTON (since 6 October 2014) | embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek | mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek | telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500 | FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Martin ANDJABA (since 3 September 2010) | chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 | FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly | elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27-28 November 2009 (next to be held on 28 November 2014) | election results: Hage GEINGOB elected president; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 86.7%, McHenry VENAANI (DTA) 5.0%, Hidipo HAMUTENYA (RDP) 3.4%, Asser MBAI (NUDO)1.9%, Henk MUDGE (RP) 1.0%, other 2.0%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green; red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rain; the yellow sun denotes power and existence; green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions) | judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65 but can be extended by the president until age 70 | subordinate courts: High Court; Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president) and the National Council, which primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly (26 seats; members indirectly elected 2 each by the 13 regional councils to serve 5-year terms) | elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 26-27 November 2010 (next to be held in 2015); National Assembly - last held on 28 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2019) | election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 80.0%, DTA 4.8%, RDP 3.5%, APP 2.3%, UDF 2.1%, NUDO 2.0%, CPN 1.5%, other 3.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 77, DTA 5, RDP 3, APP 2, UDF 2, NUDO 2, CPN 2, SWANU 1, UPM 1, RP 1

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Namibia, Land of the Brave" | lyrics/music: Axali DOESEB | note: adopted 1991

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

National symbol(s) [time series]

oryx (antelope); national colors: blue, red, green, white, yellow

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

All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI] | Communist Party of Namibia or CPN (formerly known as Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP) [Attie BEUKES and Harry BOESAK] | Congress of Democrats or CoD [Ben ULENGA] | Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [McHenry VENAANI] | National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO] | Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA] | Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE] | South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA] | South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA] | United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus //GAROEB] | United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]

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

National Society for Human Rights or NAMRIGHTS | other: various labor unions

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966, the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group 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 UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990, though the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. Prime Minister Hage GEINGOB was elected president in November 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the November 2014 elections and established a system of gender parity in parliamentary positions.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 568,231 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 351,431 | females age 16-49: 311,513 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 26,413 | female: 26,038 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air Force (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

4.2% of GDP (2015) | 3.11% of GDP (2012) | 3.38% of GDP (2011) | 3.11% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 20

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30.95% (male 345,767/female 339,026) | 15-24 years: 23.11% (male 258,586/female 252,773) | 25-54 years: 36.57% (male 422,026/female 386,948) | 55-64 years: 4.88% (male 48,406/female 59,545) | 65 years and over: 4.49% (male 42,635/female 56,595) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.8 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

13.2% (2013) | country comparison to the world: 37

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

55.1% (2006/07)

Death rate [time series]

13.91 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 67.3% | youth dependency ratio: 61.4% | elderly dependency ratio: 5.9% | potential support ratio: 17% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

8.5% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 9

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% | note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

15.97% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

5,100 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

245,400 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

7.7% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 54

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 45.62 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 48.48 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 42.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Languages [time series]

Oshiwambo languages 48.9%, Nama/Damara 11.3%, Afrikaans 10.4% (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population), Otjiherero languages 8.6%, Kavango languages 8.5%, Caprivi languages 4.8%, English (official) 3.4%, other African languages 2.3%, other 1.7% | note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 Indo-European languages (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.62 years | male: 52.05 years | female: 51.18 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 81.9% | male: 79.2% | female: 84.5% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne disease: malaria | water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2013)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

WINDHOEK (capital) 368,000 (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 23.1 years | male: 23.1 years | female: 23.1 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Namibian(s) | adjective: Namibian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

16.8% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 133

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.37 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Population [time series]

2,212,307 | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Population growth rate [time series]

0.59% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Religions [time series]

Christian 80% to 90% (at least 50% Lutheran), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2006)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.17 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 34.3% | male: 29.4% | female: 40.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 46.7% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 4.16% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Namibia is predominantly a country of origin and destination for children and, to a lesser extent, women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; victims, lured by promises of legitimate jobs, are forced to work in hazardous condition in urban centers and on commercial farms; traffickers exploit Namibian children, as well as children from Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, for forced labor in agriculture, cattle herding, domestic service, fishing, and street vending; children are also forced into prostitution, often catering to tourists from southern Africa and Europe; San girls are particularly vulnerable | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute a significant effort toward meeting the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking; draft anti-trafficking legislation awaits review by the attorney general and the Child Care and Protection Bill, which would criminalize child trafficking, is still pending parliamentary approval; the government developed a national protection referral network for crime victims in 2013, but it has not been fully operationalized; authorities did not make systematic efforts to identify trafficking victims or to screen vulnerable groups for potential victims (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

112 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 52

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 19 | over 3,047 m: 4 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 93 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 | 914 to 1,523 m: 52 | 16 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 | by type: cargo 1 (2010) | country comparison to the world: 153

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Railways [time series]

total: 2,628 km | narrow gauge: 2,628 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 65

Roadways [time series]

total: 44,138 km | paved: 6,387 km | unpaved: 37,751 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 81