CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Namibia


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!| Background:
 * 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 was soon named 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 won its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 0 sq km land: 825,418 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m !| Natural resources: note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore !| Land use: permanent crops: 0% other: 99.01% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements !| Geography - note:
 * Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
 * 22 00 S, 17 00 E
 * Africa
 * total: 825,418 sq km
 * slightly more than half the size of Alaska
 * total: 3,936 km
 * 1,572 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
 * mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
 * lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
 * diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
 * arable land: 0.99%
 * 70 sq km (1998 est.)
 * prolonged periods of drought
 * very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
 * 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
 * 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
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!| Population: 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 18 years female: 18.6 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 42.36 years female: 38.64 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Major infectious diseases: overall degree of risk: high (2004) !| Nationality: adjective: Namibian !| Ethnic groups: note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 84% male: 84.4% female: 83.7% (2003 est.)
 * 1,954,033
 * 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
 * total: 18.3 years
 * 1.25% (2004 est.)
 * 33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
 * total: 69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 40.53 years
 * 4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 21.3% (2003 est.)
 * 210,000 (2001 est.)
 * 16,000 (2003 est.)
 * typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
 * noun: Namibian(s)
 * black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
 * Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
 * English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - NA% !| Legislative branch: elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
 * republic
 * Windhoek
 * 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
 * 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
 * Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
 * ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990
 * based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since November 2004)
 * bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
 * Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
 * Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
 * NA
 * ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 29.8% services: 58.7% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Oil - proved reserves: !| Natural gas - proved reserves: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. 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 the great inequality of income distribution; nearly one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish production led growth in 2003.
 * purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)
 * 3.3% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 11.5%
 * 19.8% of GDP (2003)
 * 50% (2002 est.)
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * 70 (2003)
 * 7.3% (2003)
 * 760,000 (2003)
 * agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)
 * 35% (1998)
 * revenues: $1.434 billion
 * 35.6% of GDP (2003)
 * millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish
 * meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
 * NA
 * 26.95 million kWh (2001)
 * 603.1 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
 * 31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
 * $123 million (2003)
 * $1.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
 * EU 79%, US 4% (2001)
 * $1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
 * US 50%, EU 31% (2001)
 * $325.2 million (2003)
 * $1.04 billion (2003 est.)
 * ODA $160 million (2000 est.)
 * Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
 * NAD; ZAR
 * Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
 * 1 April - 31 March
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 127,400 (2003)
 * 223,700 (2003)
 * general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons
 * AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
 * 232,000 (1997)
 * 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
 * 60,000 (1997)
 * .na
 * 3,164 (2003)
 * 2 (2000)
 * 65,000 (2003)
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!| Railways: narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) !| Highways: paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000) !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
 * total: 2,382 km
 * total: 66,467 km
 * Luderitz, Walvis Bay
 * none (2004 est.)
 * 136 (2003 est.)
 * total: 21
 * total: 115
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing), Police
 * 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
 * males age 15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.)
 * $111.6 million (2003)
 * 2.5% (2003)
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