Namibia

Namibia, Republic of, in southern Africa, an area covering about 318,261 sq mi (824,292 sq km), bordered by Angola, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Windhoek.

Land and climate

From the Namib Desert, which stretches north-south on the Atlantic coast, the land rises to a plateau averaging 3,500 ft (1,067 m) above sea level covered by rough grass and scrub. The Kalahari, a desert region, lies to the east. The climate is hot and dry. In the north are the Kunene and Okavango rivers, and in the south, the Kwando and Zambezi rivers. The Orange River runs along the southern border. The Etosha Game Park protects elephants, cheetahs, antelope, giraffes, zebras, lions, and rhinoceros.

People

The population of 1,529,000 is 86% black, overwhelmingly Bantu, and 7% white. Ovambos (the largest ethnic group), Bushmen, and Kavango live to the north in Ovamboland. The Hereros, Nama, and Damara live in the south plateau, chiefly around Windhoek, home to most of the country's Europeans. About 30% of the population live in urban areas. The Tswana people live in the east. The Rehoboths, or coloreds, of African and European ancestry, are another important group. Except for the Bushman, these groups mostly farm, raise cattle, or work in mines. In addition to native African languages, Afrikaans, English, and German are spoken. The few black Namibians who go beyond high school may attend the University of Namibia.

Economy

Minerals account for most exports, led by diamonds and uranium. Livestock has dominated agriculture, which has been weakened by numerous droughts since the 1970s. Fishing remains important. Railroads connect cities in Namibia and South Africa, and Windhoek has an international airport.

History

The original peoples of Namibia were the Damara and the San; other Africans moved there over the centuries. The territory was annexed as a protectorate in 1884 by Germany, who named it South-West Africa. In 1920 the League of Nations mandated it to South Africa, which refused to place it under UN trusteeship after World War II. An independence move was launched in 1966 by the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), a Marxist guerilla group. Renaming the country Namibia in 1968, the UN declared (1970) South Africa's occupation of it was illegal, a move backed by the International Court of Justice (1971), pointing to South Africa's practice of apartheid. Through referendums and mediation from 1977, the UN continued to seek the country's freedom in spite of opposition from South Africa and factions of Namibian white voters and black opposition parties. Since Mar. 21, 1990, Namibia has been an independent nation with black majority rule.

In 1997, Namibia was acquitted of its $ 270 million debt to South Africa.