Namibia - Encyclopedia Britannica · 9Among world leaders in diamond production and the largest producer of marine gems (2016). 10January 1. 11Subscribers. Internet resources for

Germany’s military campaign in the early 20th cen-tury against the Herero and Nama people inGerman South West Africa—now Namibia—con-

tinued to be discussed throughout 2016. Germany’sactions, deemed by many scholars to be genocide, beganin 1904 and ultimately resulted in the deaths of about 75%of the Herero and 50% of the Nama. The two countriesengaged in talks regarding an official apology. Germany’srefusal, however, to discuss the payment of reparationsalongside an apology angered manyin Namibia. Germany countered bynoting the money it had contributedto Namibia since Namibia’s inde-pendence from South Africa in1990 and the potential for futuredevelopment projects.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2015): 28.4(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000population (2015): 8.3(world avg. 8.1).

Life expectancy at birth(2015): male 61.8 years;female 64.5 years.

Adult population (ages15–49) living with HIV(2015): 13.3% (worldavg. 0.8%).

DemographyPopulation (2016): 2,265,000.Density (2016): persons per sq mi 7.1,persons per sq km 2.7.

Sex distribution (2015): male 48.59%;female 51.41%.

Population projection: (2020) 2,461,000;(2030) 2,948,000.

Major urban localities (2011):Windhoek 322,500; Rundu61,900; Walvis Bay 61,300;Swakopmund 44,700;Oshakati 35,600.

Urban-rural (2014):

Namibia

Official name: Republic of Namibia.Form of government: republic with two legisla-tive houses (National Council [42]; NationalAssembly [961]).

Head of state and government: President HageGeingob, assisted by Vice President NickeyIyambo.

Capital: Windhoek. Official language: English.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: Namibian dollar (N$); valuation (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = N$14.67; 1 £ = N$19.51.

Ethnic composition (2000):

Age breakdown (2015):

Religious affiliation (2000):

Area and population area population

2015Regions Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

Erongo Swakopmund 24,533 63,539 175,900Hardap Mariental 42,387 109,781 85,600!Karas Keetmanshoop 62,361 161,514 84,100Kavango2 Rundu 18,819 48,742 234,900Khomas Windhoek 14,272 36,964 400,200Kunene Opuwo 44,502 115,260 95,600Ohangwena Eenhana/Oshikango 4,134 10,706 253,300Omaheke Gobabis 32,811 84,981 74,000Omusati Outapi 10,251 26,551 248,500Oshana Oshakati 3,339 8,647 186,600Oshikoto Tsumeb 14,936 38,685 192,500Otjozondjupa Otjiwarongo/Grootfontein 40,718 105,460 152,300Zambezi Katima Mulilo 5,709 14,785 97,200TOTAL 318,772 825,615 2,280,700

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National economyBudget (2014–15). Revenue: N$52,472,600,000 (tax revenue 93.8%, of

which income taxes 40.4%, customs duties and excises34.5%; nontax revenue and grants 6.2%). Expenditures:N$60,204,000,000 (current expenditure 80.2%; capitalexpenditure 19.8%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2011): U.S.$582,-000,000.

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2014): corn (maize) 68,000, millet37,000, grapes 23,7993, dry onions 22,2433, potatoes13,760, wheat 10,000, tomatoes 8,3693, sorghum 5,610;livestock (number of live animals) 2,950,000 sheep,2,380,000 cattle, 2,240,000 goats; roundwood (2015)1,286,354 cu m, of which fuelwood 100%; fisheries pro-

duction 444,718 (from aquaculture, negligible). Mining and quarrying(2013): zinc7 184,109; fluorspar 61,400; lead7 11,000; copper7 4,896;uranium oxide 4,3238; silver 45,100 kg; gold 1,960 kg; diamonds1,689,000 carats9. Manufacturing (value added in U.S.$’000,000; 2013):food products and beverages 648; basic metals 449; chemicals andchemical products 117; textiles 79; furniture 76. Energy production(consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2013) 1,331,000,000 (4,238,000,000),by source: fossil fuels, negligible; renewable energy c. 100.0%, ofwhich hydroelectric 100.0%; coal (metric tons; 2011) none (34,000);crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products (metric tons; 2011)none (833,000); natural gas, none (none).

Average household size (2009–10): 4.7.Population economically active (2014): total 991,000; participation rates(2013): ages 15–64, male 72.4%; female 69.6%; unofficially unem-ployed (2014) 28.1%, of which youth (ages 15–24; 2013) 56.2%.

Gross national income (GNI; 2015): U.S.$12,814,000,000 (U.S.$5,210per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$10,380 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low c. 1.0%; in permanent crops, negligible; in pasture 46.2%; forestarea 8.8%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

9,200 (army 97.8%, navy 2.2%). Militaryexpenditure as percentage of GDP (2015):4.5%; per capita expenditure U.S.$259.

Foreign trade6

Imports (2013): U.S.$7,574,500,000 (transportationequipment 18.2%; machinery and apparatus14.8%; food and food products 11.0%; refinedpetroleum products 9.5%; base and fabricated met-als 8.3%; chemicals and chemical products 7.6%;diamonds 5.4%). Major import sources:

Exports (2013): U.S.$6,337,200,000 (diamonds21.1%; food and food products 20.5%, of whichfish 11.5%; transportation equipment 19.7%; metalores 15.3%, of which uranium 10.1%; base andfabricated metals 8.6%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads: route length (2014) 1,633 mi, 2,628km; passenger-km (2003) c. 50,000,000; metric ton-kmcargo (2003–04) 1,247,400,000. Roads (2001):total length (2010) 27,426 mi, 44,138 km (paved14%); passenger-km 73,000,000; metric ton-kmcargo 555,000,000. Vehicles (201210): passengercars 118,444; trucks and buses 145,781.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): percentage of total popula-tion age 15 and over literate 81.9%; malesliterate 79.2%; females literate 84.5%.

Health (2009): physicians 6,127 (1 per 333persons); hospital beds 54,449 (1 per 38persons); infant mortality rate (2015) 37.8;undernourished population (2006–08)400,000 (18% of total population based onthe consumption of a minimum dailyrequirement of 1,830 calories).

1Excludes 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president. 2In 2013 Kavango was divided intoKavango East and Kavango West. 32013. 4Taxes on products less subsidies and less imputed bank ser-vice charges. 5Includes 290,762 unemployed. 6Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 7Metal content. 8World rankno. 6 (2015). 9Among world leaders in diamond production and the largest producer of marine gems(2016). 10January 1. 11Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• Namibia Statistics Agency nsa.org.na• Bank of Namibia www.bon.com.na

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 2,44311 1,02111

Landline 2015 183 76

Internet users 2009 127 59Broadband 2015 4111 1711

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2013

in value % of total labour % of labourN$’000,000 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7,217 5.7 215,311 21.9Mining and quarrying 16,492 13.0 13,559 1.4Manufacturing 15,451 12.2 32,769 3.3Construction 4,835 3.8 47,859 4.9Public utilities 2,406 1.9 4,743 0.5Transp. and commun. 5,648 4.5 5,592 0.6Trade, hotels 16,280 12.8 141,818 14.5Finance, real estate 17,551 13.9 57,549 5.9Services 17,701 14.0 134,508 13.7Pub. admin., defense 15,325 12.1 31,943 3.2Other 7,7024 6.14 295,1305 30.15

TOTAL 126,608 100.0 980,781 100.0

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