Country Summary: Namibia (Republic of Namibia)
Country Name: Namibia (Republic of Namibia)
Capital: Windhoek
Government Type: presidential republic
Background: 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 has been governed by SWAPO since, though 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.
Continent: Africa
Population: 2,777,232 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: 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%
Languages: Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4% (also a common language), 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.)
Religions: Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha'i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.)
Economic Overview: 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
Currency: Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $2.803 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $25.061 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 7.56% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per Capita: $9,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Exports:
$5.099 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 135
Export Commodities: diamonds, uranium, copper, gold, fish products, aircraft, ships (2021)
Export Partners: China 29%, South Africa 20%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 6%, Zambia 4% (2020)
Imports:
$7.313 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 132
Import Commodities: copper, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, cobalt, cars (2020)
Import Partners: South Africa 40%, Zambia 20%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6%, China 5%, Bulgaria 3% (2020)
Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish; note - suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Agricultural Products: beef, milk, grapes, millet, maize, mutton, pork, chickens, goats, wheat
Industries: mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
22.46% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Comparison Ranking: 5
Labor Force: 968,000 (2022 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 19.99% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Natural Hazards: prolonged periods of drought
Geography:
Total: 824,292 sq km
Land: 823,290 sq km
Water: 1,002 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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