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Full name: The Republic of Namibia

Population: 2 million (UN, 2007)

Capital: Windhoek

Area: 824,292 sq km (318,261 sq miles)

Major languages: English (official), Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Major religion: Christianity

Life expectancy: 52 years (men), 53 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: 1 Namibian dollar = 100 cents

Main exports: Diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, livestock

GNI per capita: US $2,370 (World Bank, 2005)

Internet domain: .na

International dialling code: +264

Main exports: Diamonds, copper, gold, zinc,

The Republic of Namibia is situated in Southern Africa. Located in southwest Africa, It is a large and mainly arid country sharing borders with Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, South Africa to the south and, in the Caprivi Strip, a narrow panhandle of Namibian province overhanging from the northeast corner of the country, with Zambia and Zimbabwe.  It is one of the countries in Africa to have just attained independence in recent years for; it gained its independence from South Africa in 1990.

Namibia is celebrated for its complementary landscapes. The deserted Namib Desert is said to be the elderly in the world, with its high dunes and a remarkable sense of space...

According to the most recent population census (2001) Namibia has 1 826 million people. The population density is one of the smallest in the world at less than 2 people per km²... more about Namibia

Namibia’s coast to the west is 1280km (795 miles) of some of the most desolate and lonely coastline in the world. The port of Walvis Bay, situated roughly halfway down Namibia’s coast, was returned by South Africa to Namibian jurisdiction in February 1994.

Along its entire length, the vast shifting sand dunes of the Namib Desert spread inland for 80 to 130km (50 to 80 miles). In the core, the escarpment of a north–south plateau slopes away to the east and north into the vast interior sand basin of the Kalahari. In the far northwest, the 66,000 sq km (25,500 sq miles) of the Kaokoland mountains run along the coast, while further inland lies the Etosha Pan (a dried-out saline lake), surrounded by grasslands and bush which support a large and varied wildlife. The Etosha National Park & Game Reserve is one of the finest in Africa, in that it remains, to a large extent, free of human influence.

History

Ever since early times, the dry land of Namibia was inhabited by Bushmen, Damara and Namaqua. However, around 14^th century AD, the Bantu immigrated to the area that later were associated with the Bantu expansion.

The land came under the German control around the 19^th century since it was not extensively explored by Europeans, apart from the Walvis Bay which was under the British control.

South Africa annexed Namibia without international recognition after World War II, a colony which it administered as a League of Nations Mandate during World War I.

With regard to the United Nations peace plan for the entire region, South Africa agreed to end its administration of Namibia in 1988 though, South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) a guerilla group had earlier launched a war of independence in 1966.

Walvis Bay was surrendered to Namibia by the British in 1994 though the country attained its independence in 1990