Namibia

text

Various ethnic groups occupied southwestern Africa prior to Germany establishing a colony over most of the territory in 1884. South Africa occupied the colony, then known as German South West Africa, in 1915 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 gained independence in 1990, and SWAPO has governed it since, although the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA, who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, GEINGOB was reelected but by a substantially reduced majority, and SWAPO narrowly lost its super majority in parliament.

text

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

text

22 00 S, 17 00 E

text

Africa

text

almost seven times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly more than half the size of Alaska

text

1,572 km

text

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

text

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

text

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish

note

<strong>note:</strong> suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

text

80 sq km (2012)

text

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Orange river mouth (shared with Lesotho [s], and South Africa) - 2,092 km; Okavango (shared with Angola [s], and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

text

Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

text

population density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, as shown in this population distribution map

text

prolonged periods of drought

text

the Namib Desert, after which the country is named, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

text

Ovambo 50%, Kavangos 9%, Herero 7%, Damara 7%, mixed European and African ancestry 6.5%, European 6%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, San 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

text

Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4%, Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages 0.7%, other 1% (2016 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages

text

Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha'i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.)

text

1.76% (2025 est.)

text

23.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

text

6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

text

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

text

population density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, as shown in this population distribution map

text

477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)

text

21.6 years (2013 est.)

note

<strong>note: </strong>data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

text

139 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

text

2.85 children born/woman (2025 est.)

text

1.4 (2025 est.)

text

0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

text

17.2% (2016)

text

33.7% (2018 est.)

text

depletion and degradation of water and aquatic resources; desertification; land degradation; loss of biodiversity; wildlife poaching

text

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

text

11.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

text

39.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

text

presidential republic

text

14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi

note

<strong>note: </strong>the Karas region was renamed //Karas in 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language

text

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

text

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

text

18 years of age; universal

note

<strong>note:</strong> the president is both chief of state and head of government

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly

text

All People's Party or APP <br>Christian Democratic Voice or CDV <br>Landless People's Movement or LPM <br>National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO <br>Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF <br>Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance or DTA) <br>Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP <br>Republican Party or RP<br>South West Africa National Union or SWANU <br>South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO <br>United Democratic Front or UDF <br>United People's Movement or UPM

text

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

text

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

text

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

text

<strong>description:</strong> a wide red stripe edged with narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower-left corner to upper-right corner; the upper triangle is blue and has a golden-yellow, 12-ray sunburst, and the lower triangle is green<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red stands for the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue stands for the sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the sun for power and existence, and green for vegetation and agricultural resources

text

oryx (antelope)

text

blue, red, green, white, yellow

text

upper middle-income, export-driven Sub-Saharan economy; natural resource rich; Walvis Bay port expansion for trade; high potential for renewable power generation and energy independence; major nature-based tourist locale; natural resource rich; shortage of skilled labor

note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

text

$13.372 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

text

root vegetables, milk, maize, beef, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses, vegetables (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

text

mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture

text

1% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

text

1.131 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

text

17.4% (2015 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

text

33% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

text

South Africa 27%, China 12%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7%, France 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

text

gold, diamonds, radioactive chemicals, fish, refined petroleum (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

text

South Africa 36%, China 9%, India 7%, UAE 4%, USA 3% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

text

refined petroleum, copper ore, ships, electricity, trucks (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

text

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

text

.na

text

V5

text

259 (2025)

text

1 (2025)

text

Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Namibian Army, Namibian Navy, Namibian Air Force (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Namibian Police Force is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security; it has a paramilitary Special Field Force responsible for protecting borders and government installations

text

estimated 12,000 active Namibian Defense Forces (2025)

text

the NDF's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era weapons and equipment; over the past decade, it has received a limited number of newer weapons systems from China and South Africa; Namibia has a small defense industry that produces items such as armored personnel carriers (2025)

text

18-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

text

the NDF’s primary responsibility is defending Namibia's territorial integrity and national interests; other responsibilities include support to civil authorities and participating in peace and stability missions under the African Union, Southern African Development Community, and the UN; Namibia has bilateral defense ties with several countries, including Botswana, India, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia<br><br>the NDF was created in 1990, largely from demobilized former members of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and the South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF); the PLAN was the armed wing of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), while SWATF was an auxiliary of the South African Defense Force and comprised the armed forces of the former South West Africa, 1977-1989; from 1990-1995, the British military assisted with the forming and training the NDF (2025)