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NAMIBIA.CRD
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#CARD:Namibia:Geography
#WORD 43 69 334 333 0
Namibia Click Here for Country List
#IMAGE 44 61 TWPCX \maps\NAMIBIA.PCX
Geography Click Here for MAP
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and
South Africa
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
825,418 sq km
land area:
825,418 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:
total 3,824 km, Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855
km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline:
1,572 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
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
Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural
gas, coal, iron ore
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
64%
forest and woodland:
22%
other:
13%
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
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
#CARD:Namibia:People
People
Population:
1,595,567 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.45% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
43.4 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
8.87 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
61.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
61.65 years
male:
58.97 years
female:
64.4 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.4 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Namibian(s)
adjective:
Namibian
Ethnic divisions:
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
Religions:
Christian
Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1960)
total population:
38%
male:
45%
female:
31%
Labor force:
500,000
by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government
7%, mining 6% (1981 est.)
#CARD:Namibia:Government
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia
conventional short form:
Digraph:
WA
Type:
republic
Capital:
Windhoek
Administrative divisions:
13 districts; Erango, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Liambezi,
Ohanguena, Okarango, Omaheke, Omusat, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature
National Council:
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 Assembly:
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
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
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
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH
chancery:
1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
(202) 986-0540
FAX:
(202) 986-0443
US diplomatic representation:
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
FAX:
[264] (61) 229-792
Flag:
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
#CARD:Namibia:Economy
Economy
Overview:
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.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.85 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.5% (1992)
National product per capita:
$2,500 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17.9% (1992) in urban area
Unemployment rate:
30% (1992)
Budget:
revenues:
$941 million
expenditures:
$1.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $157 million
(FY93/94)
Exports:
$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
Imports:
$1.178 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment
partners:
South Africa, Germany, US, Switzerland
External debt:
about $220 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.9% (1991); accounts for 35% of GDP, including mining
Electricity:
capacity:
490,000 kW
production:
1.29 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
850 kWh (1991)
Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead,
zinc, diamond, uranium)
Agriculture:
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
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $47.2 million
Currency:
1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
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)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
#CARD:Namibia:Communications
Communications
Railroads:
2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track
Highways:
total:
54,500 km
paved:
4,080 km
unpaved:
gravel 2,540 km; earth 47,880 km (roads and tracks)
Ports:
Luderitz; Walvis Bay
Airports:
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
Telecommunications:
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
#CARD:Namibia:Defense Forces
Defense Forces
Branches:
National Defense Force (Army), Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 336,145; fit for military service 199,337
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $66 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY92)
NAMIBIA.0